South Korean President Lee Denounces Anti-China Fake News
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has publicly denounced a domestic media outlet for fabricating a report that Chinese nationals had purchased 944 apartments in Seoul’s upscale Gangnam District — a claim that government data shows was wildly exaggerated. The incident has drawn praise from Beijing and highlighted the improving trajectory of China-South Korea relations under Lee’s administration.
The False Report
Seoul Economic TV aired a video report titled “Chinese Nationals Suddenly Buy 944 Apartments in Gangnam, Seoul — Snapping Up Multi-Homeowners’ Listings,” which quickly spread online. However, according to data from South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, only five purchases of collective buildings in Gangnam District by Chinese nationals occurred between January and April 2026 — not 944, as Xinhua News reported.
President Lee first raised the issue during a State Council meeting on May 20, calling it “clear manipulation and distortion,” according to South Korean media. The following day, he took to X (formerly Twitter) to denounce the report publicly.
Lee’s Response
In a strongly worded post on X, Lee wrote: “Upon verification, it turns out to be an outright false report, with only 5 purchases by Chinese nationals of collective buildings in Gangnam between January and April. It’s suspected to be a deliberately fabricated fake news article intended to be used as material for anti-China agitation.”
He added: “Even a media outlet, and an economic one at that — how on earth does stirring up Sinophobia help the country and its people? They should be held strictly accountable, don’t you think?”
As reported by the Global Times, Lee’s criticism marked a notably forceful intervention against disinformation targeting China, a stance that analysts say contrasts sharply with his predecessor.
Chinese Ambassador Expresses Appreciation
Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Dai Bing responded swiftly, posting two messages on X expressing high appreciation for Lee’s remarks. “Freedom of speech is not freedom to spread rumors,” Dai wrote, urging South Korean media to “adhere to journalistic ethics, conduct China-related reporting based on facts, and stop fooling their readers.”
Ambassador Dai noted that “a small number of South Korean media outlets have fabricated and spread fake news about China to attract attention or serve ulterior political motives,” adding that such reporting has “interfered with the improvement and development of China-South Korea relations.”
Seoul Economic TV Apologizes
The outlet deleted the report and issued an apology on its website, stating it “sincerely apologize[s] to viewers who felt discomfort and concern.” Seoul Economic TV acknowledged that “the title and wording were framed in a way that could create a negative perception of a specific nationality” and that its internal review system had failed.
Expert Analysis
Professor Zhan Debin, director of the Center for Korean Peninsula Studies at Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, told the Global Times that Lee has taken “a more forceful and frequent stance against anti-China rhetoric in South Korea” compared with his predecessors. Zhan noted that anti-China sentiment surged to “an unprecedented level” under the previous Yoon Suk-yeol administration, inflicting “serious damage” on bilateral relations.
According to the Chosun Ilbo, Lee’s stance has also drawn domestic criticism, with some observers arguing that his criticism of fake news is being “unintentionally used as a propaganda tool for Chinese diplomacy.”
Broader Context
This is not an isolated incident. In September 2025, Lee condemned rallies targeting Chinese tourists in Seoul’s Myeong-dong district, calling them “not freedom of expression, but disturbance.” Since taking office in 2025, Lee has pursued a more balanced foreign policy, prioritizing pragmatic diplomacy with both the US and China — a shift from the conservative Yoon administration, under which China-South Korea ties deteriorated sharply.
What’s Next
The incident raises questions about media accountability in South Korea and whether Lee’s call for “strict accountability” will lead to regulatory action against Seoul Economic TV. It also underscores the broader challenge of combating disinformation in an era of heightened geopolitical tensions. For China-South Korea relations, the episode serves as both a diplomatic opportunity and a potential flashpoint, as domestic critics watch closely for signs of undue Chinese influence.