South Korean President Lee orders review of youth SNS restrictions

President Lee has directed officials to conduct a swift and detailed review of measures to restrict social media use among minors. During a cabinet meeting, Lee cited international trends in Europe, Australia, and Canada, noting that public opinion in South Korea shows approximately 80% support for such restrictions due to the severe negative impacts of social media on youth.

The Korea Communications Commission plans to develop response measures through public discourse, aiming to finalize a plan by the first half of next year. The President also addressed the issue of fake news, describing it as a threat to the fundamental order of the state rather than a mere matter of defamation. He called for strengthened fact-checking capabilities and criticized media outlets for using “quotation reporting” to avoid accountability for spreading unverified claims.

Separately, the presidential office held an emergency meeting regarding a significant data breach involving the personal information of the presidential delegation during a recent overseas trip. The leaked data, which included names, passport numbers, and birth dates of 168 individuals including the President and security personnel, was reportedly found on a paid security website. Authorities are investigating whether the leak originated from an external source or through malware infection.