President Lee Denounces YouTuber’s Claims as ‘Malicious Disinformation’

President Lee Jae-myung responded forcefully on Tuesday to explosive allegations made by controversial YouTuber Jeon Han-gil, denouncing claims that he established overseas slush funds and leaked sensitive military intelligence to China as a “malicious smear campaign” that warrants severe punishment.

The president took to X (formerly Twitter) to address the accusations after Democratic Party lawmaker Han Jun-ho shared content from Jeon’s YouTube channel, which featured a man claiming to be a former operative of the Agency for National Security Planning—the predecessor to South Korea’s current National Intelligence Service.

“Slush fund creation and leaking classified military information? Truly pathetic and malicious matador tactics that must be severely punished,” President Lee wrote, amplifying Representative Han’s post that described the allegations as “absurd” fake news that had “gone too far.”

The video in question contained extraordinary claims that President Lee was “preparing to flee to China” and had recently “handed over 160 trillion won and military secrets to Chinese officials in Singapore.” When the purported former intelligence operative suggested American agents had “figured everything out,” Jeon responded by calling it a “nuclear bomb-level topic” while attempting to distance his personal position from the claims.

This incident marks the latest chapter in South Korea’s ongoing struggle with misinformation, particularly on digital platforms where sensational content often generates significant viewership regardless of veracity. Political analysts note that such accusations, while typically dismissed by mainstream media outlets, can still influence public perception in a politically polarized environment.

Representative Han promised swift action regarding the allegations, stating, “I will not let this slide” and calling for immediate verification by investigative authorities. He pledged to “take all possible measures” against both Jeon Han-gil and the man identified only as “Mr. Choi” who appeared in the video.

The controversy comes amid existing tensions within the Democratic Party of Korea, with Representative Han also criticizing party leader Chung Chung-rae for frequently invoking the president’s name when discussing party matters. This internal friction emerged after Chung finalized legislation for the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency and Public Prosecution Agency following consultations between the party, government, and presidential office.

“I question whether it’s appropriate for a party leader to keep mentioning the president’s views,” Han said during an appearance on a separate YouTube channel. “The party should handle party matters” rather than continuously “invoking the president,” which Han suggested creates “a considerable burden for him as he leads the government.”

Han further expressed concern about the party becoming “too focused on peripheral issues,” suggesting that public controversies being “stoked across various platforms” was not conducive to effective governance.

South Korean political commentators view the incident as reflective of broader challenges facing democratic institutions worldwide in the digital era, where the line between journalism and unvetted content creation continues to blur. The case highlights the growing influence of social media personalities in shaping political discourse, often operating outside traditional media accountability structures.

The presidential office has not indicated whether it plans to pursue legal action against Jeon or others involved in spreading the allegations, though President Lee’s pointed response suggests the matter may not end with his public rebuke.