Ahead of the local elections on June 3, the Ulsan Namgu election commission has filed a complaint against a candidate for creating and distributing a deepfake video that falsely portrayed their capabilities, violating election laws regarding misinformation. This incident marks the first complaint following the introduction of regulations that impose harsher penalties for disseminating false information through deepfake technology. Additionally, another candidate from Gangwon Sokcho has been fined for using AI to generate a promotional song, reflecting the scrutiny around AI misuse in the electoral context.

In response to the rising concern over AI-facilitated fake news, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok convened a ministerial meeting to address the government’s strategy against such misinformation, emphasizing that the issue of fake news related to elections is gaining international attention. He highlighted the potential impact of AI-generated fake news on election outcomes and reaffirmed that the government would not tolerate political slanders or false accusations against candidates and parties, which he described as a threat to democracy.

Both the prosecution and police have committed to a zero-tolerance approach towards fake news created with AI. Acting Prosecutor General Koo Jae-hyun noted that all investigative techniques would be employed, including international cooperation to trace down offenses involving overseas servers. The police, likewise, reiterated their dedication to maintaining the integrity of the elections amid these emerging threats from technology.