President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday rebuked media coverage of allegations that he had links to organized crime, saying that “irresponsible media can be more dangerous than a weapon” after the Supreme Court ruled against a local-level opposition party official for making the claims.
Lee made the remarks on X after the Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling that sentenced Jang Young-ha, a People Power Party (PPP) official in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, to one year in prison, suspended for two years, for spreading false information in violation of the Public Official Election Act.
The president shared a post by Democratic Party (DP) Rep. Lee Geon-tae reporting on the ruling and accused the media of amplifying unverified claims about ties to organized crime, and subsequently failing to address the illegitimacy of the allegations after the court ruling.
“Media outlets that indiscriminately expanded and reported the baseless ‘Lee Jae Myung–gangster connection’ without verification have not issued a single apology or correction even after this ruling,” Lee wrote. “There has not even been a proper factual report, let alone a correction.”
He added that many people may still believe the allegations. “Media that report without fact-checking, deliberately distort or manipulate stories or repeat groundless claims are more frightening than a weapon,” Lee said. “I hope for a clean world free of fake news, where truth and justice flow like a river.”
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