Politics · South Korea · 1 hr ago
South Korean journalist fined for false claim about Lee Jae-myung's father
A court in Andong, South Korea, fined a journalist 5 million won for violating the Public Official Election Act.
The journalist had posted on a Naver blog during the run-up to the presidential election, when Lee Jae-myung was a candidate.
The post said Lee had admitted that his father embezzled tobacco-purchase money, but Lee had made no such admission in his autobiography or blog.
The journalist denied the charge, saying the post concerned his father's alleged flight and arguing that prosecutors had improperly brought the case.
The court said the false claim risked misleading voters and undermining election fairness.
It said the post did not appear to affect the election significantly and noted the journalist had no similar conviction or prior sentence above a fine.
A South Korean journalist was fined 5 million won for publishing a false claim about President Lee Jae-myung’s father before the presidential election.
The Andong branch of the Daegu District Court found the journalist guilty of violating the Public Official Election Act.
The journalist had claimed Lee admitted that his father embezzled tobacco-leaf purchase payments.
The court said Lee had never made such an admission in his autobiography or blog.
The journalist denied the charge, but the court rejected the defense and the claim that prosecutors had abused their authority.
- Who
- An unnamed journalist identified as A was fined.
- What
- The court fined A 5 million won for violating the Public Official Election Act by publishing a false claim about Lee Jae-myung’s father.
- When
- The post was published on April 7 of the year before the October 30, 2026 report. The sentence was announced on October 30, 2026.
- Where
- The post appeared on A’s Naver blog. The case was heard at the Andong branch of the Daegu District Court in South Korea.
- Why
- The article said A posted the claim with the aim of preventing Lee, then a presidential candidate, from being elected.
Journalist A
The court
Claim about the post
Journalist A
A said the post meant Lee had admitted his father fled at night, not that his father embezzled tobacco-leaf payments.
The court
The court found the published claim was false and said Lee had made no such admission in his autobiography or blog.
Prosecution
Journalist A
Journalist A
The court
The court
Prosecutorial authority
Journalist A
A argued that prosecutors had abused their authority by bringing the case.
The court
The court rejected that argument.
Journalist A posted the claim on a Naver blog, according to the report’s reference to the previous year.
The Andong branch of the Daegu District Court sentenced A to a fine of 5 million won.
- Fine
- 5 million won
- Court
- Andong branch of the Daegu District Court
- Law
- Public Official Election Act
- Post date
- April 7, 2025
- Platform
- Naver blog
1 source
What people are saying
There is considerable culpability in that it could confuse voters’ proper decision-making, undermine the fairness of the election and lead the general public to form a mistaken impression of the candidate.
The publication does not appear to have had a major effect on the candidate’s election prospects or the election, and the defendant has no record of a similar crime or punishment exceeding a fine.
Lee Jae-myung’s father embezzled the tobacco-leaf purchase payments and fled at night, and Lee Jae-myung himself admitted this in his autobiography and blog.