Police are raiding Gyeongnam Provincial Government and other locations in connection with allegations that the campaign of People Power Party Governor-elect Park Wan-su produced a deepfake video and engaged in a government-influenced election during the June 3 local election for Gyeongnam governor.
The Cyber Investigation Division of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency deployed about 10 officers around 10 a.m. on the 9th to the provincial government's public information office and other sites to secure related materials. The search and seizure was reportedly conducted simultaneously at multiple locations in addition to the Gyeongnam Provincial Government.
The raid was carried out in connection with a case involving alleged violations of the Public Official Election Act. Police are looking into five instances of alleged smear campaigning involving nine people, including members of Park's campaign and former and current civil servants at the Gyeongnam Provincial Government.
The allegations surfaced after a disclosure by a person identified as A, who worked for Park's campaign in the final stretch of the Gyeongnam governor's race. A said Park's side produced artificial intelligence (AI)-based fake videos disparaging Democratic Party of Korea candidate Kim Kyeong-soo starting in mid-March and posted them late last month on an unofficial YouTube channel.
A also claimed that civil servants at the Gyeongnam Provincial Government were involved in the video production process. The claim was that provincial officials ordered the production of videos targeting candidate Kim or provided internal materials.
The Public Official Election Act bans the production, editing, and distribution of AI-based fake videos for campaign purposes starting 90 days before election day. It also prohibits civil servants from exerting improper influence on an election or engaging in acts that affect the outcome.
In connection with this, the Gyeongnam Election Commission asked the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office to investigate nine people, including former and current provincial officials and Park's campaign staff, on suspicion of violating the Public Official Election Act. Police are expected to analyze the materials seized to determine how the videos were produced and distributed, whether provincial officials were involved, and whether the election law was violated.