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Deepfakes emerge as threat to presidential election
Rep. Lee Jae-myung, one of the Democratic Party of Korea's presidential candidates, listens to a presentation on AI technology in Gangnam District, Seoul, Monday. Yonhap
By Park Ung
Fake images feared to mislead voters
A viral clip on X shows former President Yoon Suk Yeol pulling a wig off Han Dong-hoon, exposing the bald head of the former People Power Party (PPP) leader.
The video of Han, who is running in the snap presidential election, has already garnered 1.4 million views and over 2,300 reposts.
Another TikTok clip portrays conservative presidential hopefuls Lee Jun-seok, Hong Joon-pyo and Ahn Cheol-soo fleeing in panic, their faces comically distorted.
But there’s a twist: None of it is real. The videos are the products of deepfake technology.
As the June 3 election approaches, AI-generated deepfakes are emerging as a serious threat to electoral integrity, raising concerns about disinformation and igniting debate over where to draw the line between political satire and fake news.
On Friday, the election campaign team for Rep. Lee Jae-myung, the leading presidential contender from the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), said it received a tip about an attempt to produce and circulate a deepfake video targeting the candidate.
“The tip claims the video is staged to show Lee angrily scolding his wife after she returns from questioning by investigative authorities,” said Park Soo-hyun, head of public relations for Lee’s election campaign. “It appears someone used audio from old footage of Lee and deepfake technology to create a convincing clip of him cursing at his wife.”
Park said these types of deepfake videos are attacks on democracy, intended to undermine the public’s ability to make informed choices.
“By disclosing the tip-off to the media, we’re sending a clear message: If similar deepfake videos emerge, we will respond swiftly and firmly,” DPK Rep. Kang Deuk-gu, who heads Lee’s campaign response team, told The Korea Times.
“That includes taking strong legal action,” he added.
A deepfake image shows former President Yoon Suk Yeol removing a wig from former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon. Captured from X
Politicians on both sides of the political spectrum have been targeted by deepfakes.
Last month, police requested YouTuber Bae Jun-pyo face questioning after he created deepfake videos of Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, in compromising situations — one showing them in swimwear on a bed drinking, and another featuring Yoon shirtless in a diaper.
The presidential office filed a criminal complaint against Bae after the videos were played near a February rally supporting Yoon's impeachment.
In an email interview with The Korea Times, Bae said his videos were intended as political satire and emphasized freedom of speech over censorship, noting that such content is protected by the law in Norway, where he currently resides.
“After the deepfake videos of the former first couple drew attention in Norway, I spoke twice with the Norwegian National Police,” Bae said.
“Both times, they said the videos fall under lawful political satire and that no action would be taken against me. Even if I’m convicted in Korea, they assured me I’m protected as a Norwegian citizen and won’t be extradited.”
However, he made it clear that deepfake videos intended to spread false information — not those created for satire — should be subject to legal punishment.
“All of my deepfake videos are clearly staged and produced in a way that makes their fictional nature obvious, so as to not mislead voters,” Bae said.
Experts say deepfake videos should clearly disclose their fictitious nature, the methods used to create them and their intended purpose.
“When used for manipulation or misinformation without such clarity, those who create such deepfake videos should be held accountable,” said Kim Dong-won, a researcher at the National Union of Media Workers.
“However, as public figures, politicians are generally expected to tolerate satire. If a video is clearly labeled as a deepfake and intended as political satire, its distribution should be protected as a form of free speech.”
But authorities are taking a firm stance.
The National Election Commission launched a deepfake advisory panel and established hotlines with platforms including Naver and Google to detect and remove fake videos quickly. Police have set up investigation centers at 278 precincts nationwide to tackle deepfake-related violations of the election law.
The law prohibits the making and distribution of deepfake videos for electioneering from 90 days before the vote through Election Day. Offenders face up to seven years in prison or fines ranging from 10 million won ($7,036) to 50 million won.