Election Crime Crackdown: How AI and Fake News Threaten the 2026 Local Elections in Korea

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The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, the National Election Commission and the National Police Agency held a joint meeting to prepare for the 9th nationwide local elections on June 3.

According to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office on the 20th, Choi Ji-seok, head of the Public Investigation Department at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office (chief prosecutor); Jo Bong-gi, director of the Investigation Bureau at the National Election Commission; and Hong Seok-gi, director of the Investigation Bureau at the National Police Agency (chief superintendent) reviewed the status of election-related cases and discussed avenues for interagency cooperation.

Compared with the 8th local elections, the number of people booked during the same period — 76 days before the election — has increased.

The agencies identified priority offenses for strict enforcement: black propaganda (including fake news), election-related bribery, interference by public officials in elections, and election-related violence, and agreed to respond sternly.

They emphasized that the dissemination of fake news produced using artificial intelligence and other technologies directly distorts public opinion, has broad reach, and inflicts harm that is often irreversible; therefore, it must be met with severe penalties.

Accordingly, the National Election Commission will actively use its authority to request removals from online portals and social media platforms to quickly block illegal posts, and will promptly file complaints or request investigations in major cases.

The police will focus on cracking down on black propaganda through a dedicated election-crime investigation team (2,096 officers) and a forensic analysis team (76 officers). For deepfake election crimes, city and provincial police cyber investigation units will conduct direct investigations to identify and apprehend the original creators and distributors.

Prosecutors will designate a senior prosecutor to lead major cases handled by a dedicated election-crime investigation squad (596 officers), tighten case-handling standards, and vigorously pursue prosecutions to ensure penalties are commensurate with the offenses.