Lee Vows Zero Tolerance for Defaming Disaster Victims

Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung announced a zero-tolerance policy for individuals who insult victims and bereaved families of man-made disasters. He emphasized that authorities would be ordered to thoroughly investigate and sternly punish any offenders, highlighting a recent case involving a man in his 50s who was arrested for allegedly posting over 3,000 defamatory messages targeting victims and their families from several tragedies, including the 2014 Sewol ferry sinking, the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush, and the 2024 Jeju Air crash. According to Yonhap News Agency, the man was apprehended for allegedly spreading defamatory content and groundless allegations against victims and their families on major online forums since 2022. President Lee, expressing his disapproval, questioned the motivations behind such actions and urged empathy by suggesting that the perpetrator should imagine if his own family were among the victims. This arrest is part of a broader effort initiated by President Lee, who directed the es tablishment of a special investigation team in July to address cases of secondary harm inflicted on disaster victims and their families. The recent arrest marks the third such case since the team's formation, underscoring the administration's commitment to protecting victims and their families from defamation and misinformation.