In a recent announcement on Monday, South Korea's intelligence agency revealed the identification of 38 counterfeit Korean-language news websites believed to be operated by Chinese entities.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) disclosed that two Chinese public relations firms, Haimai and Haixun, stand accused of fabricating these deceptive platforms.
These fake Korean news sites were reportedly publishing articles from local news outlets without authorization and falsely claiming affiliation with the Korea Digital News Association.
According to the NIS, an undisclosed organization utilized these fraudulent websites to sway public opinion by disseminating pro-China and anti-U.S. content. This information was reportedly circulated through both the bogus news portals and NewsWire, a press release distribution platform based in Seoul, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
Collaborating with local cybersecurity firms such as EST Security Corp. and SK shieldus Co., the intelligence agency recently unearthed these deceptive websites.
The NIS has expressed its intent to collaborate with other relevant government bodies to promptly shut down these fake news sites.
Additionally, the agency emphasized the necessity of vigilant monitoring to counteract China's endeavors aimed at expanding its cyber influence within South Korea.
(With Agency Inputs)
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