Korea’s far-right disinformation industry targets older conservatives
In today’s digital information age, people worry that ageing populations could be left behind by new forms of technology.
But that’s not the case in South Korea, where a different problem is at play. While a recent study found that Korean people with liberal views are becoming more wary of fake news and disinformation, Korean news media outlets and researchers suspect that older conservatives over 60s are consuming far-right YouTube channels for news related content and exposing themselves to fake news and disinformation.
Tactics played by far-right Korean influencers are similar to that in the United States. In an attempt to win people’s trust, far-right channels set themselves up as if they are working for newsrooms, with a commentator pontificating or with experts discussing hot political topics. At first glance, what’s being shown looks like a typical newsroom. Men in suits with serious expressions sitting around a table and sharing their opinions. But once you start to pay attention, you realize what they say is beyond absurd. It’s like what we’ve seen it with Alex Jones, a far-right conspiracy theorist, and his infamous Infowars.
Disinformation that Korean far-right YouTube channels spread includes President Moon Jae-in murdered last year a Korean socialist politician, and that Moon has stolen 200 tons of gold bars hidden by the Empire of Japan during the 1900s. The claims are laughable. But it clearly has impacts on voters in how they perceive Moon’s administration.