Police will raise the crackdown on election law violations to the highest level ahead of the June 3 local elections. In particular, they plan to respond with a zero-tolerance policy to the spread of fake news and the provision of money or valuables.
On the 10th, the National Office of Investigation (NOI) of the Korean National Police Agency said it will raise the response system for election offenders from the current Level 2 to the highest Level 3 starting on the 14th, when candidate registration begins.
Investigation teams at police stations nationwide plan to respond immediately to crimes targeting candidates and campaign officials in cooperation with security divisions and on-site personnel at local and neighborhood police stations. They will also operate an "AI manipulated content analysis response system" to identify fabricated videos and images created with artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
They also plan to conduct intensive investigations into the so-called "three major election crimes": spreading false or fake news, providing money, valuables, or entertainment to voters, and violating public officials' duty of political neutrality.
The National Office of Investigation (NOI) formed dedicated investigative teams for election offenses totaling 2,096 personnel across local agencies on Feb. 3. Starting March 18, they gradually strengthened the response system, including operating a 24-hour investigation situation room.