A South Korean lawmaker is spearheading a push to stop government and public-sector advertising from being placed with media outlets that disseminate false and manipulated information, often termed "fake news."

On September 28, 2025, Rep. Im Oh-kyung of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, who serves as the ruling party executive secretary on the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, publicly called for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) to establish concrete guidelines restricting such ad placements.

SkyDaily's Continued Government Funding Post-Controversy 

Rep. Im's demand was prompted by data she received from the Korea Press Foundation (KPF). The figures revealed that from January to August of this year, the internet news outlet https://www.google.com/search?q=SkyDaily.com (SkyDaily) received 171 million KRW (approximately $126,000 USD) for 82 government advertisements. These "government advertisements" are defined broadly, encompassing ads placed by central government agencies, local governments, and public institutions.

This continued funding is controversial because SkyDaily has been at the center of a significant "fake news" scandal. The outlet had previously drawn criticism for an unsubstantiated report published on the day of the December 3, 2024, state of emergency declaration, falsely claiming that martial law troops had arrested 99 Chinese spies at a National Election Commission training center.

The severity of the incident led to SkyDaily's expulsion from the Korea Association of Internet News Publishers on September 22, 2025.

Local Government as Largest Advertiser 

The data further showed that the Incheon Metropolitan City, including its subsidiary organizations, was the single largest advertiser with SkyDaily during the period. Incheon City placed 28 ads totaling 59.22 million KRW (approximately $43,700 USD)—a nearly 40% increase from its expenditure of 42.30 million KRW during the same period the previous year.

When Rep. Im inquired about the rationale for this continued advertising expenditure, local authorities reportedly explained that SkyDaily was a registered media outlet with the press corps and published their official press releases.

Call for Immediate Advertising Restrictions 

Rep. Im Oh-kyung expressed firm condemnation of the situation, stating that it is "unacceptable" for government advertising to be carried by an outlet that has "threatened the democracy of the Republic of Korea."

She argued that the MCST must urgently draft and implement comprehensive guidelines that would restrict government advertising for any media outlet that has been officially censured, such as receiving retraction orders, corrections, warnings, or caution notices for disseminating fake news from bodies like the Press Arbitration Commission, the Korea Newspaper Ethics Commission, or the Internet News Ethics Commission.

The lawmaker's action highlights a growing concern in South Korea about the use of public funds to support outlets known for spreading misinformation, urging the government to align its advertising policies with its commitment to media ethics and democratic stability.

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