Tsutomu Nishioka 
Supporters of South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol gather near the presidential residence in Seoul on January 6th (©Kyodo)
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Election fraud conspiracy theories are rapidly spreading in South Korea. These claims allege large-scale fraud in the 2020 and 2024 parliamentary elections, in which conservative parties suffered heavy defeats.
Supporters argue that leftist parties conspired with China or North Korea to manipulate the results. President Yoon Suk-yeol embraced this theory, declared martial law, and deployed the military to the National Assembly and the election commission.
Despite freezing temperatures, thousands of his supporters continue to protest daily. In the early hours of January 19, some briefly occupied the Seoul Western District Court which had approved Yoon's detention warrant. They also vandalized property.
Protesters carried flyers with "STOP THE STEAL" printed in red letters on a white background. The phrase, popularized by Donald Trump supporters in the United States presidential election, means "Stop stealing votes through fraud." On the back, "CCP OUT" was written, demanding the removal of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). These demonstrators firmly believe that the CCP interfered in the election.
Pushing Fake News
In a Chosun Ilbo poll conducted on January 21–22, 43% of the public expressed sympathy for the election fraud allegations. Among those polled, 70% of conservatives, and 78% of those who identified as ruling party supporters, also shared this view.
Conservative newspapers that avoid covering election fraud are seeing a decline in circulation. Yoon's supporters have launched subscription cancellation campaigns, causing Chosun Ilbo to recently lose 100,000 copies —10% of its total circulation.
On January 15, President Yoon wrote on social media, "There is overwhelming evidence of election fraud," citing three key points:
- Fake ballots were discovered.
- The election commission's digital system was vulnerable to hacking and manipulation, yet no corrective action was taken.
- Additionally, the election commission refused to verify and cross-check the number of voters against actual ballots.
However, none of these claims have been proven true.
Following the April 2020 parliamentary elections, 126 lawsuits were filed, but no court ruling confirmed any fraud.
On January 16 this year, during the Constitutional Court's impeachment trial, the president's lawyer vigorously argued election fraud claims. He stated, "This morning's newspaper reported that over 90 Chinese nationals from the Korean Civic Education Institute for Democracy (KOCEI) in Suwon were taken to a United States military unit in Japan. There, they were questioned and confessed to election fraud."
This fake news has spread rapidly since late December 2024.
Agitation
On December 24, the online edition of a leftist weekly magazine published an exclusive report. It claimed that after martial law was declared, more than 90 officials and civilians were detained at the KOCEI. The article strongly criticized the imposition of martial law.
A right-wing YouTube channel with 1.49 million subscribers released a video on December 25 suggesting that the detainees were not election officials but possibly Chinese nationals. It quickly gained 1.14 million views.
Right-wing newspaper Sky Daily published a column on December 26 by a university professor titled "Who Are the 90 Chinese Hackers at KOCEI?" In the column, the outlet claimed that those detained were Chinese hackers.
Former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn later referenced the Sky Daily column on an online media platform, further fueling speculation. He asked, "Where are the 90 people now? Why hasn't the election commission secretary-general disclosed this in the National Assembly or anywhere else?"
This claim also spread rapidly among Yoon's supporters through YouTube and social media. On January 16, Sky Daily escalated the story, now alleging that 99 Chinese hackers — nine more than previously reported — had been arrested by martial law forces. It claimed they were taken to a US military base in Okinawa, where they confessed to interfering in elections in both South Korea and the US.
The president's lawyer later cited this claim in court. However, on January 20, US Forces Korea issued a statement dismissing it as "completely false."
Two Conservative Camps
South Korea's conservative camp has split into two factions. One consists of classical liberal conservatives who engage in fact-based debates, while the other embraces right-wing totalitarians who justify violence and conspiracy theories.
Conservative leader Cho Gab-je stated, "To counter (leftist presidential candidate) Lee Jae-myung, we must first overcome conspiracy theories and rebuild conservatism." He added, "Just because our opponent is a monster doesn't mean we should become one too."
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Author: Tsutomu Nishioka
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