A man in his 40s who posted and later deleted a false claim on social media alleging that the May 18 Democratic Uprising was carried out on orders from North Korean leader Kim Il-sung has been referred to prosecutors without detention. [AI-generated image]
A man in his 40s who posted and later deleted a false claim on social media alleging that the May 18 Democratic Uprising was carried out on orders from North Korean leader Kim Il-sung has been referred to prosecutors without detention. [AI-generated image]

A man in his 40s who posted a false claim on social media alleging that the May 18 Democratic Uprising was carried out on orders from North Korean leader Kim Il-sung has been referred to prosecutors.

Police said Friday that the Dongdaemun Police Station referred the man, identified only as A, to prosecutors without detention on Thursday on charges of violating the Special Act on the May 18 Democratic Uprising.

A is accused of spreading false information about the May 18 Democratic Uprising by posting on the social media platform Threads on May 19 a claim that the uprising was carried out under orders from Kim Il-sung. The post has since been deleted.

The Dongdaemun Police Station took over the case from another precinct in July and continued the investigation. "There is no confirmed evidence that A posted the same content on other social media platforms," a station official said. "No particular motive or political inclination related to the offense was identified during the investigation."

Under the Special Act on the May 18 Democratic Uprising, spreading false information about the uprising through newspapers, magazines, broadcasts or online networks is punishable by up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 50 million won ($35,900).

"Distorting the history of the democratic uprising goes beyond merely insulting or defaming the victims and their families — it spreads a false understanding of history and can cause social disorder," the official said. "We will strictly investigate, in accordance with the law, any malicious and clearly false production or dissemination of information that exceeds the bounds of freedom of expression."


jookapooka@heraldcorp.com