Two YouTubers who posted fabricated information online claiming that 900,000 barrels of crude oil were smuggled from the Ulsan oil reserve to North Korea have been referred to prosecutors.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Cyber Crime Investigation Unit announced on Monday that they have forwarded two YouTubers to prosecutors without detention. The suspects face charges of defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act, violations of the Telecommunications Basic Act, and obstruction of business.
These individuals are accused of posting manipulated false information on their YouTube channels in March, alleging that approximately 900,000 barrels of crude oil from the Ulsan oil reserve were exported overseas and subsequently funneled into North Korea.
Law enforcement initiated an investigation into six YouTube accounts that spread this misinformation, successfully identifying all individuals involved and apprehending four suspects to date.
The police intend to continue their investigation into other suspects beyond the two individuals referred to prosecutors today.
A spokesperson for the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency stated that while it staunchly upholds freedom of expression, it will conduct thorough investigations into the production and dissemination of malicious and blatantly false information that causes social unrest, in strict accordance with the law and established principles.