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President Lee Jae-myung speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, on June 29. / Source: Yonhap News

President Lee Jae-myung has ordered a review of introducing punitive damages against YouTubers and pseudo-media outlets that spread fake news.

During a Cabinet meeting held at the presidential office in Yongsan on June 19, Lee stressed, "Just as we impose penalties several times the sales amount on those who produce and sell fake food to effectively shut them down, the same standard should apply to YouTubers spreading fake news." The meeting records were released by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on August 3.

"There are too many cases of people profiting from fake news," Lee said. "The Ministry of Justice should examine how to control this." He added, "We must fundamentally block illegal activities pursued for profit. Since criminal prosecution risks abuse of prosecutorial power, responding through punitive damages is the most effective approach."

Lee further noted, "In the United States, it is unthinkable to profit by breaking the law. Financially targeting such conduct at the civil level is a more realistic deterrent."

Kim Seok-woo, then-vice minister of justice, responded that the government was "exploring ways to confiscate illicit gains either by transferring them to the state or returning them to victims, even when the defendant is abroad or unidentified."