South Korea's New Law Against Online Disinformation Takes Effect, Critics Fear Suppression of Free Speech

SEOUL, South Korea (CNS) - A revised South Korean law aimed at combating online disinformation took effect today, introducing stricter penalties for repeat offenders. However, concerns have been raised that it may stifle freedom of expression.

According to Agence France-Presse, the new law requires major online platforms to establish new response mechanisms amid growing societal concerns about online disinformation in South Korea.

However, opposition politicians, civic groups, and media experts have warned that the law could suppress freedom of speech and open the door to censorship influenced by government intervention.

Previously, South Korea dealt with disinformation under general defamation laws and civil damages, lacking a clear legal framework specifically for so-called "fake news."

By amending the "Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection," South Korea joins many countries globally in attempting to tackle the vast amount of online disinformation, which can have serious real-world consequences.

Under the new law, online users who intentionally disseminate illegal false or manipulated information may be liable for up to five times the actual damages.

Repeat offenders who disseminate content deemed illegal by a court could face fines of up to 1 billion Korean won (approximately NT$21 million).

Platforms such as South Korea's Naver and Kakao, and US tech giants Google and Meta, must establish mechanisms for users to report false or manipulated information and publish transparency reports every six months detailing complaints received and their handling.

However, opponents have warned that the new law does not clearly define what constitutes false or manipulated information, which could lead to overly broad enforcement and uncertainty in the initial stages of implementation.

The Journalists Association of Korea (JAK) has also called for safeguards to ensure that reporting and news gathering in the public interest are not suppressed. (Compiled by Hong Pei-ying) 1150707

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