President Lee Jae-myung on the 6th ordered a strong response, saying, "With the Middle East war putting us in a wartime situation, spreading fake news that disrupts state affairs is no different from an act of rebellion."
During a policy discussion at a Cabinet meeting that day, the president said, "Even responsible politicians spread fake news, or, though it cannot possibly be anything but fake news, they amplify it based on that," and noted, "Fake news that causes confusion is a tactic used by the enemy during war."
He continued, "With the Middle East war, we are in a wartime situation, and spreading fake news that disrupts state affairs is no different from an act of rebellion," adding, "We need a stronger response to fake news that affects the public."
The president instructed the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, "Use a screening team if necessary," and Minister Yoon Ho-jung replied, "It has been set up in the police, and punishments for fake news have increased by 40% compared with before." The president then said, "It is important to process incoming reports quickly, but even before reports come in, the routes through which fake news spreads are almost the same, so please screen proactively."