South Korean police indict reporter and opposition campaign spokesman over allegations of defamation in Feik News reports during presidential election

On the 13th, the first anti-corruption investigation division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office announced that it had arrested Song Byung-soo, who served as spokesman for the presidential election campaign committee of Lee Jae-myung, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, and JT
Three people, including BC Broadcasting Station former reporter Bong Ji-wook (currently affiliated with Newstapa) and internet media outlet Lipoact reporter Heo Jae-hyun, were indicted on charges of defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act.
During the South Korean presidential election in March 2022, these individuals reported news and used the name of then-presidential candidate Yoon Seok-yeol.
In particular, Mr. Song is accused of creating a so-called "fake recording of Choi Jae-kyung" and providing it to reporter Heo. Lipoact has decided to make this recording public.
The South Korean government opened a recording and claimed that it was a call between the cousin of Cho Woo-Hyun, a loan broker in Daejang-dong, and former Chief of Civil Affairs Choi Jae-kyung. However, it was later revealed that the person in the recording was former Chief of Civil Affairs Choi Jae-kyung.
It was revealed that the person in question was not the former head of the Democratic Party, but a former aide to the party. Reporter Heo is suspected of reporting false facts, knowing that the person in question was not former head of the Democratic Party.
In February 2022, while he was working for JTBC, he distorted the contents of the interview and reported that "Yoon suppressed the investigation into Cho at the request of former special inspector Park Young-soo."
As a result, he is accused of deceiving the head of JTBC's social affairs department and the head of the news department, and obstructing the broadcasting company's fair reporting duties. Meanwhile, the prosecution is suspected of being involved in the "fake Choi Jae Kyung recording."
The Democratic Party of Korea aide Choi and National Assembly expert committee member Kim, who had been indicted, were not indicted due to insufficient evidence.
Similar action was given to journalist Subhas.