In a bold move that’s turning heads globally, Lee Jae‑Myung, President of South Korea, has officially declared that hate speech and the spread of misinformation on social media will be treated as serious crimes, not merely matters of free speech.
At a Cabinet meeting held in the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, on November 11, 2025, President Lee made clear that certain expressions—particularly those spreading racism, discrimination, manipulated facts or false information—“go beyond the bounds of free expression.” He called for swift legislative changes and firm enforcement by police and civil authorities.
Lee pointed out that “anachronistic discrimination and hatred based on race, origin and nationality are rampant in some parts of society.” He also emphasized that on social media platforms, hate speech targeting specific groups is spreading indiscriminately and that manipulated information remains “rampant.”
The administration is planning an “anti-hate speech law” similar to models used in Europe and Japan, which would impose fines on online platforms that fail to remove hateful or manipulated content, and would require dismissal of officials engaging in discriminatory language.
Civil servants found to have used discriminatory speech will face immediate dismissal, the President announced.
The move comes amid heightened tensions in South Korea’s society over nationalist demonstrations (notably anti-China protests) and immigrant/refugee issues, which have been fuelled partly through online channels. But on the flip side, press freedom groups warn this could lead to overreach—where legitimate criticism or journalism gets punished under a broad definition of “false information.”
