2018 opinion rigging scandal in South Korea
 The fake company's office where the perpetrators committed online opinion rigging | |
| Native name | 더불어민주당원 댓글 조작 사건 |
|---|---|
| English name | 2018 opinion rigging scandal in South Korea |
| Duration | 2014 – April 13, 2018 |
| Location | Paju, South Korea |
| Coordinates | 37°42′46″N 126°41′10″E / 37.712676°N 126.686071°E |
The 2018 opinion rigging scandal in South Korea is a political scandal that erupted in April 2018, after a group of ardent supporters of the South Korean President Moon Jae-in had been charged with online opinion rigging.[1] The accused suspects were the members of the ruling Democratic Party (DPK).[2] The main perpetrator, as well as the leader of the pro-Moon group, was a well-known power-blogger called "Druking."[1]
Organized opinion rigging
Druking established a fake company known as the "Neureupnamu (Japanese elm) publishing company" in the city of Paju for organized opinion rigging.[3][4] The accused used a macro program that can generate a barrage of online comments and likes in a few seconds in order to manipulate the public opinion in their favor.[4]
Controversy
The scandal led to a clash of political parties in South Korea. The Blue House and the ruling Democratic Party insisted that they are also a victim of the scandal.[1] But the opposition parties emphasized that, since President Moon's involvement is suspected, this scandal is linked to the Moon administration's legitimacy.[5] They called for a special prosecutor investigation for scrutiny.[5]
References
- ^ a b c "Opinion-Rigging Scandal Rattles Cheong Wa Dae". The Chosun Ilbo. 19 April 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
- ^ "Police Detain Bloggers Accused of Rigging Online Comments". KBS World. 16 April 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
- ^ "Blogger sent 5 million won to Rep. Kim's aide: Police". Korea JoongAng Daily. 23 April 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
- ^ a b "Online Comment Rigging". KBS World. 16 April 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
- ^ a b "(LEAD) LKP submits bills for special probes into opinion rigging scandal, controversy over ex-FSS chief". Yonhap. 17 April 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.