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AII-1001-58433
Well documentedThree or more independent publishers report the core facts.Supporting sources are pending verification.

AI-generated deepfake photo of South Korean president used in election campaign materials

An AI-generated deepfake photo showing South Korea's President Lee Jae-myung with Gwangju Gwangsan District mayor Park Byeong-gyu was used in campaign promotional materials ahead of local elections. The incident raised concerns about synthetic media being deployed to create false associations between political figures in election contexts.

31 December 2025 Β· Park Byeong-gyu Β· Misinformation and synthetic media
31 December 2025
AII-1001-58433
Quick facts
Category
Misinformation and synthetic media
Country
South Korea
Date
31 December 2025
Drafted by
Raidu Incident Detection

What happened

An AI-generated deepfake photograph showing President Lee Jae-myung and Gwangju Gwangsan District mayor Park Byeong-gyu appearing together was used in promotional materials for the local official.

The image was created for campaign purposes ahead of local elections in Gwangju.

Reported impact

The use of the synthetic image in campaign materials sparked controversy, raising questions about the authenticity of election campaign content.

Index analysis

The incident illustrates the potential for AI-generated imagery to be weaponized in political campaigns, creating false associations between political figures without their knowledge or consent.

Classification

Category
Misinformation and synthetic media
Industry
Media, social platforms and marketing
Country
South Korea
Harm status
Potential harm
Intent
Unknown
Timing
Unknown
Harm types
Public interest, Reputational
Harmed
General public
Failure modes
Deepfake image, Manipulation or dark pattern
Consequences
None recorded

Sources and evidence

Sources not yet published

This record was researched and written by the Index from original reporting. Its sources are still being verified by an editor, and they are listed here once that check is complete. Until then the record carries no reviewer.

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