The government will mobilise an all-out, cross-ministry effort to eradicate AI-driven fake news and ensure fair elections, 50 days ahead of the June 3 nationwide local elections.

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok (김민석) on April 14 chaired a meeting of ministers on fair elections in preparation for the 9th nationwide local elections at the Government Complex Seoul. The government held the meeting more than a month earlier than usual, considering that AI-driven fake news is posing a major threat to the election environment.

Kim said the people’s sovereignty government will do its utmost to ensure the elections are conducted more fairly and cleanly than any in the past. He said administrative and financial support for stable election management must also be carried out without disruption. Calling fake news not freedom of expression but a challenge to democracy and a clear criminal act, he asked the National Police Agency and other relevant ministries for a firm response.

The government set up a fair elections support situation room at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on Feb. 6. It established a coordination system with local governments and the National Police Agency to check election conditions and respond quickly to related incidents and accidents. The ministry provided group training for legally mandated election tasks, including compiling voter rolls, for about 7,900 people.

On responding to fake news, the National Police Agency is conducting an intensive crackdown on pseudo media outlets that spread false information. The Justice Ministry signalled a thorough investigation, including swiftly and precisely tracking distribution routes for fake news using scientific investigative techniques.

The Ministry of Science and ICT is actively supporting the development of deepfake detection and blocking technologies to prevent the creation and spread of fake news using deepfakes. The Korea Communications Commission plans to block fake news early through close cooperation with major platform operators.

Prosecutors said they will respond strictly and handle election-related offences quickly together with police and the election commission. They are operating an emergency duty system after forming dedicated investigation teams for election offences with 596 members.

The Justice Ministry, prosecutors and police also agreed to respond strictly under a zero-tolerance principle to all illegal acts during the election period, including not only fake news but also bribery, illegal election intervention by public officials and election-related violence.

The Education Ministry is supporting student voters so they can recognise the importance of fair elections and participate properly in voting. As of election day, the total number of student voters is 195,907, including 2,928 foreigners. The Defence Ministry and the Health and Welfare Ministry plan to support voting rights for vulnerable groups, including service members, older people and voters with disabilities, by providing guidance on voting methods and schedules and conducting related training.

Immediately after the meeting, Kim also delivered a public address at the Government Complex Seoul. He stressed that fake news that abuses AI will be punished as severely as possible to the maximum extent allowed by law, to serve as a warning. He also said the government will handle the five major election crimes, including bribery and election violence, strictly and firmly under a zero-tolerance principle.

Meanwhile, Korea Post will set a special handling period from May 12 to June 3 to ensure fast and safe delivery of election mail. It plans to operate during the period with necessary staffing, equipment and security systems.