Gyeongnam Gubernatorial Race Heats Up with Accusations of Deepfakes and Ballot Tampering
With just two days remaining until the June 3rd local elections, the race for Gyeongnam Governor has escalated into a fierce battleground, marked by allegations of deepfake video creation and distribution, as well as claims of organized ballot stuffing.
Opposition Claims Official Involvement in Rigged Voting
The Democratic Party has accused the opposing camp of orchestrating a “rigged election” involving public officials. In response, the People Power Party has dismissed these claims as mere political maneuvering.
The situation has intensified with both parties filing complaints against each other. A whistleblower has also emerged, further complicating the dispute.
Democratic Party Demands Investigation into Alleged Election Law Violations
On June 1st, Kim Myung-seop, spokesperson for Democratic candidate Kim Gyeong-soo, held a press conference at the Gyeongnam Provincial Government building. He called for an urgent investigation by the Changwon District Prosecutor’s Office into former provincial officials and nine individuals associated with Park Wan-soo’s campaign. These individuals are suspected of violating election laws, including alleged participation in organized ballot stuffing and the creation and dissemination of AI-generated fake videos.
Kim stated, “Nine people, including campaign staff and former public officials affiliated with candidate Park’s campaign, have been referred to the Changwon District Prosecutor’s Office by the election commission. This is a case of illegal ballot stuffing and AI-generated fake videos.” He added, “The whistleblower also reported the production and distribution of fake videos, as well as the operation of a related election office, to the election commission. This whistleblower was an individual who previously worked for candidate Park’s campaign.”
Park Wan-soo Campaign Denies All Allegations
In response, Yoo Hae-nam, senior spokesperson for Park Wan-soo’s campaign, held a press conference to vehemently deny the accusations. “Candidate Kim’s side is spreading baseless allegations of election manipulation,” Yoo stated.
Yoo asserted, “Candidate Park’s campaign has no record of ordering the creation of such videos, nor has it disseminated any such content through official channels. There is no such thing as a ‘deepfake response team.'” He challenged, “If candidate Kim’s side has any evidence that Park Wan-soo’s campaign created and disseminated deepfake videos, they should present it. Candidate Kim’s campaign is hiding behind the whistleblower’s unilateral claims and reports, only fueling baseless accusations.”
Regarding the reporting of these allegations, Yoo stated, “This is not media sensationalism, but a legitimate legal action to prevent voters from being misled by false information.”
Whistleblower Details Involvement in Deepfake Video Production
The controversy was ignited on May 31st when a media outlet reported that a former employee of Park Wan-soo’s campaign, identified as Mr. A, claimed that the campaign orchestrated the creation and dissemination of deepfake videos, some of which allegedly defamed Kim Gyeong-soo. The report also suggested the involvement of Gyeongnam provincial officials.
Mr. A, the whistleblower, held his own press conference on June 1st, identifying himself and stating, “I worked on video production for candidate Park’s campaign from April 14th to May 6th.” He further stated that he self-reported to the Gyeongnam Provincial Election Commission on May 6th, admitting his involvement in illegal election activities.
Mr. A claimed, “Around midnight on April 13th, I received an external hard drive containing numerous videos from a special vehicle of the Gyeongnam Provincial Government. I clearly received instructions to produce many videos for use once the gubernatorial race began.” He alleged that he received materials from public officials.
According to Mr. A, the external hard drive contained videos and materials related to current Governor Park Wan-soo, produced by the Gyeongnam Provincial Government’s Public Relations Division and Information Division between 2023 and 2026.
Campaign Staff Acknowledges Video Creation, Denies Direct Deepfake Orders
Mr. A stated that based on this material, he created one music video and 19 short videos while working for Park Wan-soo’s campaign. The music video, he claimed, utilized deepfakes and contained content critical of candidate Kim Gyeong-soo. However, Mr. A clarified that he did not receive direct orders from Park Wan-soo’s campaign to create the deepfake music video, and that it was uploaded to his personal YouTube channel before being taken down.
Furthermore, Mr. A alleged that another video production team, separate from his work, produced and disseminated numerous short videos using deepfakes and other methods. He claimed, “Under the direction of former provincial officials and an external organization, a YouTube channel was systematically operated, and 32 short videos, including deepfakes, were posted and distributed from mid-March to April 28th.”
Mr. A apologized, stating, “I apologize to the citizens and to candidate Kim Gyeong-soo, the victim, for disrupting the fair election environment with my insufficient actions.”
Election Law and Public Official Law Violations Alleged
The Public Official Election Act prohibits the illegal creation, editing, or distribution of AI-generated fake videos for election purposes within 90 days of an election. It also prohibits public officials from engaging in acts that unduly influence elections or their outcomes.
The Gyeongnam provincial officials implicated by whistleblower Mr. A are reportedly individuals who served under Park Wan-soo during his tenure as Governor. They reportedly resigned at the end of April when Park Wan-soo was registered as a preliminary candidate and subsequently joined his campaign. One individual is reportedly still a public official. If these individuals provided video production instructions or materials to Mr. A while still employed as public officials before the end of April, it could constitute a violation of the Public Official Election Act’s neutrality provisions.
Following the media report, Kim Gyeong-soo’s campaign filed a complaint with the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency on May 29th, accusing Park Wan-soo’s campaign of violating the Public Official Election Act and the Public Official Act.
