Police question YouTuber who accused party leader Kim Min-seok of data disclosure
In short
Seoul police began questioning YouTuber Lee Jong-won, operator of the channel Sisa Tapa TV, as a complainant on October 6 after he accused Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok of disclosing his name and party membership without consent. Lee filed the complaint on September 4, citing the Personal Information Protection Act and defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act, after Kim wrote on X on August 30 that Lee was a party member and that he had ordered an ethics review. The Democratic Party has separately accused Lee of manipulating party convention opinion polls by telling viewers to give false answers about their residence and age.
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Police in Seoul began investigating a complaint against Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok on October 6, questioning YouTuber Lee Jong-won as the complainant. Yonhap reported that the Yeongdeungpo Police Station called in Lee, who runs the channel Sisa Tapa TV, on the morning of October 6. Lee filed the complaint on September 4, accusing Kim of violating the Personal Information Protection Act and of defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act, according to the outlets. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
The complaint stems from a post Kim published on X on August 30. Kim wrote that, in connection with the dispute over alleged manipulation of the party convention opinion poll, he had confirmed Lee was a party member and had given a special instruction for the ethics inspection unit to report on whether emergency discipline was necessary, Yonhap, Hankook Ilbo and Seoul Economic Daily reported. Lee says Kim used information obtained in his position as party leader to publish his name, party membership and political views without consent, and that this disclosed sensitive information. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Lee also argues that he was named as a party to the poll manipulation dispute before any formal investigation had begun, which he says damaged his reputation, and that Kim publicised the start of disciplinary proceedings against him before internal party procedures, which Lee claims violates the Political Parties Act. Speaking to reporters as he entered the questioning room, Lee said: “Party member information is sensitive information and belongs to the party member, not the party leader,” adding that the process and grounds for disclosing a member's personal information and discussing discipline and expulsion should be made transparent. [ 1 , 3 ]
Separately, the Democratic Party has accused Lee of inducing viewers to manipulate the party's leadership election polling. According to Yonhap and Hankook Ilbo, Lee is alleged to have said during live broadcasts on August 14 and 15 that viewers should give false answers about their residence and age when called by pollsters. The party said poll samples are allocated in proportion to population by region, sex and age, and that once a quota for a given group is filled, respondents in that group can no longer take part. The party accused Lee of leading viewers to pose as respondents in areas or age groups with remaining quotas, obstructing the work of its central election committee and polling firms. Lee is under police investigation on that allegation, Yonhap reported. [ 1 , 3 ]
Police said they would examine the facts based on the background of the complaint and related materials, according to Yonhap and Seoul Economic Daily. The documents do not include any response from Kim or his office to Lee's complaint, or any finding on either side's allegations. [ 1 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The case puts a police investigation at the center of a dispute between the governing Democratic Party's leader and a political YouTuber, with each side accusing the other of wrongdoing. It also tests how personal data held by a political party is treated, since Lee argues party membership information is sensitive data that a party leader cannot publish. The documents do not indicate how the investigation will proceed or whether either side's allegations have been substantiated.
Key facts
- Seoul's Yeongdeungpo Police Station summoned YouTuber Lee Jong-won, operator of the channel Sisa Tapa TV, as a complainant on October 6 and began investigating his complaint, according to police accounts reported by the outlets. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Lee filed the complaint on September 4 accusing Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok of violating the Personal Information Protection Act and of defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Kim wrote on X on August 30 that, in connection with the party convention opinion poll manipulation dispute, he had confirmed Lee was a party member and had ordered the ethics inspection unit to report on whether emergency discipline was needed. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Lee says Kim disclosed his name, party membership and political views without consent using information obtained in his position as party leader. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- The Democratic Party accused Lee of inducing viewers to impersonate respondents in areas or age groups where poll quotas remained, which the party says obstructed the work of its central election committee and polling firms. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Police said they would examine the facts based on the complaint's background and related materials. [ 1 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Police in Seoul are questioning YouTuber Lee Jong-won as a complainant over his accusations against Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Lee filed the complaint on September 4, citing the Personal Information Protection Act and defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Kim Min-seok wrote on X on August 30 that he had confirmed Lee was a party member and had ordered an ethics inspection report on possible emergency discipline. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- Whether Kim Min-seok's post amounted to disclosing legally protected sensitive information, as Lee claims. Lee's claim is set out in the documents, but the documents carry no response from Kim or his office and no legal finding.
- Whether Lee's alleged advice to viewers to give false poll answers is substantiated. The documents describe it as an allegation under police investigation, with no conclusion reported.
- Whether the party's disciplinary review of Lee followed proper procedures. Lee calls for the process to be disclosed, but the documents do not describe the party's internal procedure.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Lee tells viewers during live YouTube broadcasts to give false answers about their residence and age if they receive poll calls, according to police and party accounts. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Kim Min-seok writes on X that he confirmed Lee was a party member and ordered the ethics inspection unit to report on whether emergency discipline was needed. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Lee files a police complaint against Kim alleging Personal Information Protection Act violations and defamation. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Yonhap reports police have begun the investigation, with Lee appearing at Yeongdeungpo Police Station for questioning as the complainant. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]