Fake News Spread Amidst Martial Law in South Korea... What is the Truth?

Source: Online Community

Fake News Spread Alongside Martial Law in South Korea: What Really Happened?

On December 3rd, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol declared a state of emergency at 10:30 PM, leading to an explosion of information and rumors across online communities and social media. The situation reached a fever pitch as fabricated images, such as photos of armored vehicles and curfew notices, spread rapidly. While the state of emergency was lifted on the 4th, some fake news continues to fuel a climate of fear and confusion.

Source: Online Community

Armored Vehicle Photos and Curfew Notices…The Truth Behind the Fake News

Immediately following the declaration of martial law, images of armored vehicles moving through Seoul's city center, along with a fabricated image stating a curfew beginning at 11 PM, quickly spread across online communities.

Upon verification, some of the armored vehicle photos were found to be from previous events, and the curfew notice was confirmed to be a fabricated image. However, this fake news gained credibility through some media outlets, exacerbating the confusion.

Rumors of keyword censorship and internet censorship related to martial law also circulated on major platforms like KakaoTalk and Naver. However, these claims are untrue, and the platforms have denied them.

Source: Online Community

The Background and Response to the Spread of Fake News

Immediately after the declaration of martial law, some communities on KakaoTalk set up emergency communication networks using Discord and Telegram to prepare for potential internet censorship. In certain communities, announcements prohibiting the use of politically related keywords appeared, fueling rumors of a "surveillance regime" being implemented.

On Daum Cafe, suspicions arose that certain keywords were not appearing in the trending rankings. However, a Kakao representative stated that "trends are determined based on traffic," refuting claims of censorship due to a surveillance regime immediately following the martial law declaration.

Similarly, Naver experienced access errors in its news and cafe services around the same time, leading to suspicions of censorship. However, Naver attributed this to "temporary errors due to a surge in traffic," denying allegations of censorship.

Martial Law and Information Chaos…Implications

This martial law incident demonstrated how quickly fake news can spread during emergencies and cause significant public confusion. Fabricated information, such as photos of armored vehicles and curfew notices, went beyond mere rumors and influenced some media coverage.

Major platforms like Naver and Kakao actively denied the existence of a "censorship regime," but the spread of fake news already created anxieties among many. This served as a reminder of the importance of information reliability and verified sources during emergencies.

What is Martial Law in South Korea?

Around 10:25 PM on December 3rd, 2024, President Yoon Suk-yeol of the Republic of Korea declared a nationwide state of emergency (martial law).

Background and Content of the Martial Law Declaration

President Yoon claimed that "anti-state forces" were attempting to overthrow the government, criticizing the opposition party, the Democratic Party of Korea, for attempting to cut the 2025 budget, thereby "paralyzing" the government. He defined this as an attempt to "overthrow the liberal democratic system" and stated that he declared martial law to "completely eliminate the shameless pro-North Korea anti-state forces and protect the free constitutional order."

About an hour later, Army Chief of Staff Park An-su, appointed by President Yoon as the martial law commander, announced that Martial Law Order No. 1 had taken effect from 11 PM. This order included a ban on all political activities, media control, and bans on strikes and demonstrations.

Reactions and Outcomes

The declaration of martial law immediately triggered strong backlash. Politicians from both ruling and opposition parties, as well as citizens, took to the streets to protest. Members of the National Assembly convened an emergency session and passed a resolution demanding the lifting of martial law.

Finally, around 4:30 AM on December 4th, President Yoon and his cabinet lifted the state of emergency. The martial law lasted approximately six hours.

Follow-up Actions

Following the lifting of martial law, the opposition party initiated impeachment proceedings against President Yoon, and even members of the ruling party demanded his resignation. Several high-ranking officials, including the Minister of National Defense, resigned, and investigations into the military officers involved in the implementation of martial law began.

This incident raised concerns about South Korea's political stability and democracy and drew international attention.

Key Differences Between the Ruling and Opposition Parties

1. Definition:

• Ruling Party: The party to which the president belongs; it governs the nation alongside the government.
• Opposition Party: All parties other than the ruling party; their role is to check and balance the ruling party.

2. Role:

• Ruling Party: Cooperates with the president and the government to formulate and implement national policies.
• Opposition Party: Critiques the ruling party's policies, offers alternatives, and maintains balance.

3. Responsibility:

• Ruling Party: Bears the primary responsibility for governing and faces criticism for failures.
• Opposition Party: Has the responsibility to monitor the ruling party and point out its shortcomings.

4. Power Dynamics:

• Ruling Party: Has an advantage in policy implementation due to its alliance with the president.
• Opposition Party: Checks the ruling party and sometimes opposes government policies.

These differences contribute to a balance between the ruling and opposition parties, fostering the development of democracy.