A journalist who spread false information about the family of then-presidential candidate Lee Jae Myung ahead of the 21st presidential election was fined.
The Dae-gu District Court Andong Branch Criminal Division 2 (Judge Kang Seong-woo) announced on the 30th that it sentenced a man in his 60s, A, to a fine of 5 million Korean won for violating the Public Official Election Act.
A was charged for posting a blog entry on April 7, 2025, claiming, “Lee Jae Myung’s father embezzled flue-cured tobacco purchase funds and fled, and Lee Jae Myung himself admitted this in his autobiography and blog.” Flue-cured tobacco is tobacco dried without cutting the leaves. However, investigations found that President Lee had never acknowledged his father’s embezzlement of flue-cured tobacco purchase funds.
Prosecutors determined that A posted the false article with the intent to disqualify President Lee, then a presidential candidate.
The court stated, “Spreading false information can confuse voters’ decision-making and undermine election fairness, making the offense non-trivial,” while adding, “A’s post did not significantly impact the election outcome, and he has no prior record of similar crimes or penalties exceeding fines.”
A has appealed the ruling.
A journalist who spread false information about the family of then-presidential candidate Lee Jae Myung ahead of the 21st presidential election was fined. The Dae-gu District Court Andong Branch C...