Did seven family members die from commercially frozen food that was stored for nearly a year? No, that's not true: They died from consuming frozen homemade fermented corn noodles, which contained a toxin called bongkrekic acid. The claim originated from a TikTok video (archived here) published on September 21, 2024. It opened, as translated from Korean to English by Lead…
Is it true that South Korean doctors cannot refuse to treat patients who are already in a hospital's emergency room? No, that's not true: Emergency medical personnel can reject a patient in the ER if there are "justifiable grounds." The claim appeared in a video (archived here) that was published on TikTok, on September 7, 2024, under the title "응급실…
Did Kamala Harris say she approves South Korea to have nuclear weapons? No, that's not true: The U.S. vice president, who is campaigning for the 2024 U.S. presidency, stressed, instead, the importance of a "complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." The claim originated from a video (archived here) published on TikTok on July 31, 2024, under the Korean title "[속보]…
Does cucumber water prevent dementia or Alzheimer's disease because it contains a specific component called fisetin? No, that's not true: No scientific evidence suggests that cucumber and cucumber water can prevent dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The claim originated from a TikTok video (archived here) which was published on August 28, 2024. It opened, as translated from Korean to English by…
Did YG Entertainment release a statement regarding K-Pop Group BLACKPINK member Jennie officially leaving the group and being replaced with a new soloist, Rosalia? No, that's not true: The agency, which manages the band as a group, has not released any statement regarding BLACKPINK member Jennie's departure. The claim appeared in a TikTok video (archived here) published on June 29,…
Is K-Pop group tripleS member Kim Na Kyoung an Olympic badminton player who won the gold medal in the Paris 2024 Olympics? No, that's not true: There is no evidence on the official Olympics website to suggest that tripleS member Kim Na Kyoung competed in the Olympics as a badminton player, as she is not part of the national team.…
Did former First Lady Kim Jeong Sook steal clothing from her diplomatic visit to India in 2018? No, that's not true: former First Lady Kim Jeong Sook altered the sari she was gifted by the former First Lady of India Savita Kovind into a blouse and wore it to a diplomatic luncheon with Kovind in 2018. The claim appeared in…
Did former South Korean First Lady Kim Jung-sook spend 62.92 million won on her in-flight meals during her visit to India in 2018? No, that's not true: The total cost covered in-flight meals charges for 50 members of the delegation, including freight and refrigeration costs. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) where it was published on TikTok, on…
Did multinational entertainment company HYBE disband GFRIEND, a girl pop group, on a specific date with a particular meaning - May 1, 2021, - and is this proof, along with other signs in songs of other HYBE artists such as ILLIT, that they are related to a cult called 'Dahn World'? No, that's not true: GFRIEND was not disbanded on…
Did President Yoon Seok Yeol's government announce that they will hand over Dokdo (Takeshima Island) to Japan? No, that's not true: Dokdo Island remains an integral part of South Korean territory, and there was no evidence of President Yoon's administration announcing the handover of the long-disputed territory to Japan. The claim appeared in a TikTok video (archived here) published on…
Did the South Korean government rig the 2024 parliamentary election because ballots with half-cut control numbers were found? No, that's not true: A half-cut control number on the ballot does not signify an irregular vote. The Constitutional Court already refuted a similar claim in 2023. The claim originated from a video (archived here) published on TikTok on April 22, 2024,…
Did Democratic Party Leader Lee Jae-myung commit to pledges such as an end-of-war declaration, withdrawal of U.S. troops from South Korea, transition to a lower-level federal system, North Korean-style absorption reunification, dissolution of conglomerates, dismantling of churches, and unconditionally thanking China? No, that's not true: No evidence was found to suggest that Lee made such pledges on the official Democratic…
Did the South Korean ruling People Power Party sneak a political message into the school lunch menu at an elementary school before the general election on April 10, 2024? No, that's not true: The local education office said it was an unintentional mistake and promptly recalled it, removing the alleged political message. An official from the Gyeonggido Office of Education…
Did former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun grant voting rights to Chinese people intending to favor liberals? No that's not true: The concept of granting voting rights to foreigners in local elections originated from diplomatic pressure exerted on Japan. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) which was published on TikTok by @issuepoint (archived here), on March 25, 2024,…
Can bad coffee habits increase the risk of cancer by 200 percent? No, that's not true: The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) stated coffee was not classified as carcinogenic to humans, and no evidence was found that consuming coffee in certain ways could lead to such an increase in the risk of…
Did South Korea's current government give a certificate of appreciation to the pastor who hoisted a Japanese flag out of his window on Independence Movement Day? No, that's not true: the certificate was given for the pastor's previous fundraising activity on behalf of candidate Yoon Suk-yeol who was elected president in 2022, and it was not given for raising a…
Are eggplants the best food for killing colorectal cancer (CRC)? No, that's not true: no evidence suggests that consuming eggplant can prevent colorectal cancer. The claim appeared in a TikTok video (archived here) published by user @livinggenius_on March 12, 2024. The caption in Korean, as translated into English by Lead Stories staff, reads : The best food that kills all…
Did Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung reveal his pro-China views in his March 22, 2024, speech? No, that's not true: His words were taken out of context and were part of a wider reasoning on diplomatic isolationism. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) on TikTok by @user4688440191613 (archived here) on March 24, 2024. It opened with a quote…
Is Democratic Party Leader Lee Jae-myung selling South Korea to North Korea? No, that's not true: Lee's speech in January 2024 condemning Kim Jong Un's hostility was taken out of context. The claim appeared in a TikTok video (archived here) which was published by @gaesaeggi4865 on March 19, 2024. The caption reads, (translated from Korean to English by Lead Stories…
Does Yoon Suk Yeol's alleged mentor, the YouTuber and spiritual leader Cheon Gong, have 17 criminal convictions that have never been investigated thanks to his political connections? No, that's not true. There is no evidence to suggest that Cheon has 17 convictions. The claim appeared in a TikTok video (archived here) published by@thp832911pm on March 7, 2024. The caption in…
