Politicians must stop aligning with YouTubers
Published: 21 Jan. 2025, 00:02
Among the 66 priority suspects being investigated for the chaos at Seoul Western District Court, three YouTubers have been identified. These figures played a pivotal role in escalating the aggression during rallies supporting President Yoon Suk Yeol, particularly in the wake of the Dec. 3 martial law declaration. By endorsing violent acts and chanting provocative slogans on-site, they effectively incited an unprecedented attack on the judiciary.
The exploitative behavior of some YouTubers for monetary gain is not a new phenomenon. Cases range from organized crime figures operating channels to livestreams of murders. These extreme actions are rewarded by pathological algorithms, driving such creators to push societal boundaries. Politics and protests have not been spared from this toxic influence.
With Big Tech companies showing little interest in regulating harmful content, the responsibility falls on the political sphere. Yet, both ruling and opposition politicians have exacerbated the problem, often fueling conflicts by spreading baseless conspiracy theories. During a leadership convention held by the People Power Party (PPP) last July, clashes between YouTubers supporting different candidates, such as Won Hee-ryong and Han Dong-hoon, turned violent. Instead of implementing safeguards, political leaders have used YouTube’s divisive potential for their own ends. At pro-Yoon rallies led by Pastor Jun Kwang-hoon, calls to “Ignore conservative newspapers and just watch YouTube” resonate loudly. Some far-right channels have reportedly collected over 100 million won ($68,900) in donations following the impeachment crisis.
No legitimate media — whether conservative or progressive — would endorse illegal, unconstitutional martial law. Even PPP lawmakers acknowledge, “We do not support martial law.” Yet they align themselves with YouTubers peddling baseless election fraud claims. Shockingly, during impeachment hearings at the Constitutional Court, fake news such as allegations of “99 Chinese nationals being detained at the Civic Education Institute for Democracy and transferred to a U.S. military base in Japan” surfaced, revealing the extent of YouTube’s influence.
President Yoon himself contributed to this dynamic by sending a message to supporters outside his residence on Jan. 1, stating, “I am watching your efforts in real-time through YouTube live broadcasts.” This endorsement of YouTube’s coverage has emboldened agitators. Videos rapidly spread claims made by Yoon’s legal team, such as “Any citizen can arrest law enforcement officers attempting to execute an arrest warrant,” or statements like PPP lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun’s comment that “the 17 arrested after scaling the court’s walls are expected to be released soon.” Such rhetoric cannot be divorced from the ensuing violence at the court.
The Democratic Party (DP) is not immune to criticism. Its invitation to controversial YouTuber Kim Ou-joon, known for inflammatory remarks like the existence of an "assassination squad for Han Dong-hoon," to speak at the National Assembly further illustrates bipartisan reliance on extreme media for propaganda.
In an emergency Supreme Court meeting yesterday, grave concerns were expressed: “If extreme actions ignoring the rule of law become normalized, the survival of our nation will be at stake.” As long as profit-driven extremist YouTubers and complicit politicians persist, incidents like the violent unrest at Seoul Western District Court are bound to recur.
Translated using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
The exploitative behavior of some YouTubers for monetary gain is not a new phenomenon. Cases range from organized crime figures operating channels to livestreams of murders. These extreme actions are rewarded by pathological algorithms, driving such creators to push societal boundaries. Politics and protests have not been spared from this toxic influence.
With Big Tech companies showing little interest in regulating harmful content, the responsibility falls on the political sphere. Yet, both ruling and opposition politicians have exacerbated the problem, often fueling conflicts by spreading baseless conspiracy theories. During a leadership convention held by the People Power Party (PPP) last July, clashes between YouTubers supporting different candidates, such as Won Hee-ryong and Han Dong-hoon, turned violent. Instead of implementing safeguards, political leaders have used YouTube’s divisive potential for their own ends. At pro-Yoon rallies led by Pastor Jun Kwang-hoon, calls to “Ignore conservative newspapers and just watch YouTube” resonate loudly. Some far-right channels have reportedly collected over 100 million won ($68,900) in donations following the impeachment crisis.
No legitimate media — whether conservative or progressive — would endorse illegal, unconstitutional martial law. Even PPP lawmakers acknowledge, “We do not support martial law.” Yet they align themselves with YouTubers peddling baseless election fraud claims. Shockingly, during impeachment hearings at the Constitutional Court, fake news such as allegations of “99 Chinese nationals being detained at the Civic Education Institute for Democracy and transferred to a U.S. military base in Japan” surfaced, revealing the extent of YouTube’s influence.
President Yoon himself contributed to this dynamic by sending a message to supporters outside his residence on Jan. 1, stating, “I am watching your efforts in real-time through YouTube live broadcasts.” This endorsement of YouTube’s coverage has emboldened agitators. Videos rapidly spread claims made by Yoon’s legal team, such as “Any citizen can arrest law enforcement officers attempting to execute an arrest warrant,” or statements like PPP lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun’s comment that “the 17 arrested after scaling the court’s walls are expected to be released soon.” Such rhetoric cannot be divorced from the ensuing violence at the court.
The Democratic Party (DP) is not immune to criticism. Its invitation to controversial YouTuber Kim Ou-joon, known for inflammatory remarks like the existence of an "assassination squad for Han Dong-hoon," to speak at the National Assembly further illustrates bipartisan reliance on extreme media for propaganda.
In an emergency Supreme Court meeting yesterday, grave concerns were expressed: “If extreme actions ignoring the rule of law become normalized, the survival of our nation will be at stake.” As long as profit-driven extremist YouTubers and complicit politicians persist, incidents like the violent unrest at Seoul Western District Court are bound to recur.
Translated using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)