South Korean President vows to punish spreaders of 'intentional false information'

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has vowed to "sternly punish" individuals who intentionally spread false information, stating such acts cause social chaos and economic damage. He made the remarks while sharing a news report on X, formerly Twitter, detailing police action against two individuals accused of circulating rumors about forced dollar sales.

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Spreading false information that harms the public is neither freedom of expression nor something to be tolerated.

"Spreading false information that harms the public is neither freedom of expression nor something to be tolerated," President Lee stated. He likened such actions to serious crimes that destroy community order and values, questioning if perpetrators consider their actions mere "pranks or games." He added that those who commit such acts, even if they claim it's a game, should face severe penalties.

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Children are being killed by your rockets.

The president's comments come amid the spread of false information online following the outbreak of the US-Israel war in the Middle East. Rumors circulated that the South Korean government would forcibly sell dollars to counter an economic crisis originating from the region. Lee suggested that the diligent police investigation team deserves support, perhaps even pizza, for their efforts in uncovering the truth.

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The so-called ‘mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave’ has no basis in the Public Service Rules.