선거가 끝난 자리, 압수수색의 서막: 경남지사 캠프를 둘러싼 '딥페이크' 공방 > K-wave Trends

The origin of this case was a whistleblower's revelation that emerged at the very end of the election. An individual who worked for Governor-elect Park Wan-su's campaign claimed that the camp used AI technology to produce and distribute videos slandering the opposing candidate, Kim Kyung-soo. The controversy escalated significantly as allegations surfaced that former and current Gyeongnam Provincial Office officials were systematically involved, either by participating in the video production or providing internal data. Since the Public Official Election Act strictly prohibits the production or distribution of AI-based fake videos for campaign purposes within 90 days of an election, the Governor-elect's side could face significant legal consequences if these allegations are proven true.

Investigative authorities moved quickly. On the morning of the 9th, the Cyber Investigation Unit of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency conducted a surprise raid on key locations, including the Public Relations Office of the Gyeongnam Provincial Government. Police deployed over 10 investigators to secure key evidence to prove the circumstances of the video production and the involvement of public officials. Previously, the Gyeongnam Election Commission had referred 9 individuals, including members of the Governor-elect's campaign and provincial officials, to the prosecution for investigation based on the whistleblower's testimony and circumstantial evidence. With the Election Commission's judgment leading to a police raid, the case has moved beyond mere allegations into the realm of potential legal punishment.

The People Power Party (PPP) strongly criticized the police investigation, framing it as "political oppression." PPP Secretary-General Jung Hee-yong characterized the police's actions—storming the provincial office less than a week after the election—as a smear campaign against an opposition governor. In particular, Secretary-General Jung raised his voice, noting that even though the whistleblower who provided the basis for the accusation clarified in a press conference that there were no direct orders, the police are conducting an excessive investigation based on one-sided claims. The ruling party views the raid as an attempt to hinder the Governor-elect's administration from the start, and has warned of a strong response while calling for an immediate halt to the investigation.

Governor-elect Park Wan-su, who is at the center of the controversy, also completely denies the allegations. Campaign officials maintain that they never ordered the production of the videos and that they were never distributed through official channels. Instead, the Governor-elect's side has taken counter-measures by filing legal complaints against the whistleblower who spread false information and the journalists who reported it. As the whistleblower partially adjusted their statement to say there were "no direct orders," the conflict between the two sides has become even more complex, centering on two key issues: "who produced the AI videos" and "whether there was systematic involvement by public officials."

Meanwhile, despite the chaotic situation caused by the raid, the Park Wan-su administration is continuing its preparations for an official launch. After his re-election, the Governor-elect formed a "Gyeongnam Great Leap Forward Preparation Team" and began concretizing policy tasks to foster new future industries and boost the vitality of the people's livelihoods. While the plan is to design the vision for the 9th popularly elected administration around cutting-edge industries such as AI and Small Modular Reactors (SMR), it remains to be seen how this major negative factor—the police investigation—will affect the momentum of the early administration. Within the provincial office, there is palpable concern about administrative paralysis and a watchful atmosphere regarding the impact the investigation results will have on the legitimacy of the administration.