| This screenshot of an online community taken last week shows a fake news article published in 2018 claiming that the CIA was banning entry by those reported to be anti-American. |
False rumors and unconfirmed reports are spreading online about the US government’s supposed crackdown on anyone who has openly criticized the now-impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Online communities, particularly those frequently by far-right supporters of the besieged leader, are sharing a debunked fake news report from 2018 about the US Central Intelligence Agency’s plans to permanently ban from entry anyone who has been reported to be anti-American or participated in an anti-American protest. It also claimed that those reported to be anti-American will also be banned from sending their children to the US for education.
The US Embassy in Korea at the time confirmed the report to be false, telling local broadcaster JTBC it was "not worth responding to."
Curiously, this debunked fake news story has resurfaced in Korea, amid the tumultuous events following Yoon’s ill-fated declaration of martial law on Dec. 3 and his subsequent impeachment. This has polarized public opinion into two camps: a majority condemning Yoon and a minority going all out to defend him.
Yoon is currently undergoing a criminal investigation on charges of insurrection and abuse of power while also being subject to an impeachment trial. He declared martial law on Dec. 3 and is suspected of ordering the arrest of prominent political figures and civilians, many of whom have publicly spoken against him.
On the diplomatic front, Yoon, a conservative, has maintained a pro-American stance and supports friendly ties with Japan. His supporters often accuse opponents of being anti-American and pro-North Korean.
Some online platforms with far-right political views have also been publishing unconfirmed claims about supposed actions by the US government.
For instance, a website known for unsourced and unverified far-right conspiracy theories recently claimed that Washington has issued a warning against "leftwing professors who thoughtlessly expressed political views and decried the political situation without context," in a clear reference to scholars who openly condemned Yoon’s martial law imposition.
The claim cites no statements sources from the Korean or US governments, but instead references anonymous comments on local online communities. The website's unverified claims also include the supposed rigging of parliamentary elections, which was alleged by the president but dismissed by a police investigation as baseless.
In the aftermath of the anti-Yoon protests, several members of online communities with pro-conservative political inclinations were found to be encouraging each other to report celebrities like IU to the CIA. The celebrities in question had publicly expressed support for demonstrations against Yoon.
They claimed that just reporting the celebrities to the CIA as spies would lead to a criminal investigation, which would hinder them from activities in the US or even entering the country.
A person claiming to be a supporter of the president's People Power Party said he or she has filed a similar report against Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, citing exhaustion with Hong's talk about an early presidential election in case Yoon's impeachment is confirmed and he is removed from office.
The CIA collects and analyzes foreign intelligence and conducts covert actions, but is not the government body authorized to grant entry to the US.
According to the US government, the Department of Homeland Security and officials with the US Customs and Border Protection agency at the port-of-entry have the authority to permit entry into the US. The US State Department can impose visa restrictions on individuals under Section 212 (a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and National Act.
The particular section of the law stipulates the possibility of visa restrictions on numerous grounds, such as involvement in the misuse of commercial hardware to target or unlawfully surveil, harass, suppress or intimidate individuals, but expressing one's political inclination is not among them.
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