More than 50 days have passed since President Yoon Suk Yeol’s insurrection on December 3, and we are still facing absurdities and impudence. President Yoon appeared at his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court and denied he ordered the troops to drag lawmakers out from the National Assembly. What he said was totally different from the statements of the military commanders who had participated in the insurrection. Several days ago, hundreds of his supporters had vandalised the Seoul Western District Court, protesting the court issuing a formal detention warrant for him. A couple of days before the vandalism, there was a shocking headline by a small right-wing newspaper that South Korean and American soldiers had arrested 99 Chinese spies at a facility of the National Election Commission on the night of martial law and they were sent to the US. Even though the story cannot be true because that kind of operation violates the sovereignty of South Korea, the newspaper never admitted that its report was false.

All those episodes show that President Yoon and his supporters have a different perception of reality. As we have many false assertions and fake news, we realise that we are dealing with fake truth—a fallacious reality crafted by misinformation and reinforced by collective belief. Fake truth is more insidious than mere fake news; it is a false reality in which individuals live and act as if the fabricated is real. We need to look into it closely.

Everybody knows that President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law and military troops tried to seize the National Assembly and the National Election Committee. His action was unconstitutional and illegal because there was no reason to do it and he violated most of the required measures for martial law. Police tried to block the lawmakers from entering the parliament that night and troops broke the windows of the building. There were records that the president visited a secret military bunker and met with commanders even after the National Assembly adopted a resolution that martial law should be lifted. The commanders stated that they had orders directly from the president to arrest lawmakers, including the Speaker of the National Assembly and the leader of the opposition party. Despite mounting evidence, President Yoon categorically denied what he did. This denial, amplified through media outlets sympathetic to the administration, created an alternative reality in which his supporters dismissed the claims as baseless attacks.

The creation of this fake truth—a narrative in which the president bore no responsibility—relied heavily on the strategic dissemination of misinformation. The administration’s narrative divided public opinion by fostering doubt and exploiting partisanship. For many, the objective truth of the incident was eclipsed by a fabricated version of events that suited their ideological preferences.

The dangers of fake truth became starkly evident on January 19 when hundreds of President Yoon’s supporters stormed the Seoul Western District Court. Enraged by what they perceived as unjust rulings against Yoon, these individuals destroyed offices and caused significant disruption. This act of mob violence was not merely an expression of anger but a manifestation of a false reality shaped by misinformation and emotional manipulation.

About 90 intruders were detained by the police and they will get severe punishment, probably including longer than ten years of prison time. Why did they destroy the courthouse and their own life? They were living in a fake truth and in the minds of the perpetrators, the judiciary had become an illegitimate institution conspiring against their kind of world. This belief, rooted in a fabricated narrative of systemic bias and persecution, justified their actions. The fake truth they embraced made them immune to evidence or reason, fueling distrust and chaos.

Perhaps the most bizarre illustration of fake truth was the dissemination of a false story claiming that 99 Chinese spies had been arrested by Korean and American military authorities on December 3. Despite the complete absence of credible evidence, this story spread like wildfire across social media and fringe news outlets, captivating a significant population segment. The National Election Committee denied it and the US Forces in Korea publicly negated it, saying it was “entirely false.”

The appeal of this fake news lies in its alignment with existing biases and fears, particularly regarding foreign interference and national security. For those who believed it, the story reinforced a worldview where external threats justified extreme measures and unquestioning loyalty to the current president. The fake news of Chinese spies not only sowed distrust but also diverted attention from more pressing domestic issues, conveniently aligning with the administration’s political agenda.

The episodes illustrate how fake truth undermines democratic principles and social cohesion. By distorting reality, fake truth erodes trust in institutions, polarises society and justifies undemocratic actions. The propagation of these fabricated realities relies on a potent combination of emotional appeal, ideological reinforcement and the strategic use of media to amplify misinformation.

South Korea is at a crossroads, either upgrading or disqualifying democracy. One major factor is that we can get over the false reality presented by fake news. When leaders deny responsibility for their actions, when mobs vandalise courthouses based on false narratives and when baseless stories about foreign spies dominate public discourse, the line between reality and fiction becomes dangerously blurred.

Addressing the menace of fake truth requires a multifaceted approach. Media literacy campaigns must equip citizens with the tools to evaluate information critically. Journalistic integrity must be upheld to combat the spread of misinformation. Moreover, political leaders and institutions must be held accountable for their role in perpetuating false narratives. If left unchecked, the fake truth will continue to corrode the foundations of democracy and hinder our ability to overcome the political crisis from Yoon’s absurd insurrection. We must remain vigilant in distinguishing truth from falsehood, ensuring that reality, not fabrication, guides our collective future.

• - The Korea Herald (South Korea)/ ANN