Highlights: South Korea: an epidemic of “deepfakes” rages before the elections. These misleading videos using artificial intelligence to create false narratives from real images spread very quickly. A real scourge that institutions are trying to combat. South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol is the subject of misappropriation and fake news as the presidential election approaches. The authors of this type of video face up to seven years in prison and a fine of 38,000 euros for defamation and unrest in elections.

As the South Korean legislative elections approach in April, “deepfakes” are multiplying on social networks. These misleading videos using artificial intelligence to create…

South Korea: an epidemic of “deepfakes” rages before the elections

As the South Korean legislative elections approach in April, “

deepfakes

” are multiplying on social networks.

These misleading videos using artificial intelligence to create false narratives from real images spread very quickly.

A real scourge that institutions are trying to combat.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol is the subject of misappropriation and fake news as the presidential election approaches.

AP - Kin Cheung

By: RFI Follow

With our correspondent in Seoul

Célio Fioretti

“

I am Yoon Suk-yeol, I support laws that harass Koreans.
I am incompetent and corrupt, my government is that of corrupt privileged people.
I am Yoon Suk-yeol, I have completely ruined the Republic of Korea and made Koreans suffer because of my outdated ideology.

» It's the president's voice, it's his face that appears on the screen... and yet, everything is false.

This excerpt from an alleged speech by

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol

has gone viral on the country's social media.

This is a “deepfake”, made from pieces of speeches dating from the 2022 presidential campaign.

Also read: Deepfake, a disinformation tool on social networks

It’s even yet another “deepfake”, as the legislative elections in April loom.

Alerted about this video, the national elections commission requested its deletion from the authorities to prevent false information from spreading.

But it remains difficult to make it disappear as it has spread on social networks.

South Korea is currently experiencing a veritable “deepfake” epidemic.

This same commission published a recent report counting 129 such videos in just twenty days.

This false information obviously poses a significant risk in the run-up to elections.

Creating and distributing a “deepfake” is a reprehensible act in the eyes of the law.

In South Korea, the authors of this type of video face up to seven years in prison and a fine of 38,000 euros for defamation and unrest in elections.

Also read: Can we automatically detect deepfakes?

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South Korea: an epidemic of “deepfakes” rages before the elections

South Korea: an epidemic of “deepfakes” rages before the elections

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