Man who impersonated President Lee turns self in after fake post about new taxes

A man who impersonated President Lee Jae Myung and posted a fake public statement online has turned himself in to police.

President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul on Dec. 2. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

A man who impersonated President Lee Jae Myung and posted a fake public statement online has turned himself in to police.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said Tuesday that it had taken the suspect into custody on charges including obstruction of official duties through deception. Authorities are currently investigating how the post was created.

The suspect, an office worker, turned himself in to police at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Monday.

He is accused of posting a fake message online, impersonating the president and falsely announcing policies such as “raising capital gains tax on foreign stocks” and “introducing a new holding tax.”

“Impersonating government agencies or officials and spreading false information is a serious criminal act that causes major social confusion and public distrust,” the police said. “We will respond firmly under a zero-tolerance policy, not only tracking down those who create and spread fabricated information, but also identifying those behind it, led by our internal task force for countering disinformation.”

The police also urged the public to report any illegal activities involving the spread of false or manipulated information, whether online or offline.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY HYEON YE-SEUL [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]