Seoul: The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has announced the formation of a specialized unit to tackle the proliferation of online fake news associated with the Middle East. Park Jeong-bo, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, revealed that two dedicated teams have been established within the agency's Cyber Investigation Unit to specifically address this issue.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Park detailed the agency's proactive measures, highlighting that when false information is identified, requests for its deletion and blocking are promptly made to the relevant site and the Korea Communications Standards Commission. In Seoul alone, 29 such incidents have been recorded.

A notable case involves a conservative YouTuber who, on March 27, alleged that 900,000 barrels of oil were illicitly transferred from Ulsan to North Korea. This claim led the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources to file a defamation complaint under the information and communications network law. The police are set to summon the YouTuber for further investigation.

Park further stated that four YouTube accounts are currently under investigation following reports from the trade ministry and the Korea National Oil Corp. "We'll respond sternly to the spread of fake news that causes social unrest," Park asserted, emphasizing the agency's commitment to curbing misinformation.