South Korea cracks down on fake news ahead of election

By Alex Jensen
SEOUL (AA) - Acting South Korean President Hwang Kyo-ahn Tuesday directed officials to clamp down on anyone spreading fake news, with just a week to go until the country’s presidential election.
Speaking in a Cabinet meeting, he bemoaned ‘near a fivefold jump in false stories and allegations’ compared with 2012.
“Thus, I call on [the government] to muster up efforts to make follow-up measures, such as carrying out prompt fact-checking and bringing to justice (those who spread false information),” Hwang said according to local news agency Yonhap.
Awareness of fake news has spiked in South Korea following last year’s U.S. election, during which many expressed concerns over false news largely circulated on social media.
There has also been a significant upturn in public activism in the wake of a presidential scandal that led to impeachment of leader Park Geun-hye in March.
She was accused of conspiring to pressurize companies to donate large sums to two nonprofit foundations set up by her longtime confidante.
Polls suggest a liberal candidate is likely to win next Tuesday’s election, representing a shift from nearly a decade of conservative rule.
Hwang has led the South on an interim basis since December – a tumultuous period because of political uncertainty and ongoing North Korean nuclear weapon threats.
“This election carries an important meaning as we will elect a new president to tide over security and economic challenges from home and abroad,” he reflected.