YouTuber arrested for spreading false election official escape story

A South Korean YouTuber has been arrested for fabricating and spreading false information online. The man, identified only as 'A', allegedly posted a video on his YouTube channel claiming that election officials were aided by police in disguise to escape a counting center in Songpa-gu, Seoul.

The fabricated video went viral, accumulating 2.27 million views and 7,600 comments. The individuals falsely identified as election officials in the video were, in fact, active police officers. 'A' confessed to police that he knowingly spread false information to generate revenue through video views.

He has since deleted the video and expressed remorse. Authorities emphasized that while freedom of expression is protected, the malicious dissemination of false information, especially during times of national confusion, is a serious crime. Police vowed to investigate such acts strictly under the law.

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Freedom of expression is guaranteed, but acts of spreading malicious and clearly false manipulated information by exploiting national confusion are considered serious crimes, and we will investigate strictly according to the law and principles.