Business

Did Paris Saint-Germain decide to kick out South Korean footballer Lee Kang-in after South Korea lost to Jordan in the Asian Cup semi-final on February 6, 2024? No, that's not true: At the time of writing, no official announcement had been made and Lee was still on the club's official website, listed among the players. The claim appeared in a…

Did South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol say that doctors who went on strike, walking off the job, should be punished with the maximum sentence in court? No, that's not true: The government officially denied the president ever said that. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) by @jj67890 (archived here) on TikTok on February 21, 2024, under the…

Is Hyundai selling its factory in Russia, worth $1 trillion, for only 140,000 won (approx. $108)? No, that's not true: While the Hyundai factory in Russia is being sold, its actual value reportedly stands at 287.3 billion won (approx. $223 million). The claim originated from a video (archived here) published on TikTok by @suzingmm on December 20, 2023. The caption…

Did a New York-based health news outlet confirm the benefits of barefoot walking or "earthing"? No, that's not true: "Mercola," cited in a video circulating on social media, is not a credible news outlet, but a website promoting misinformation founded by Joseph Mercola, an osteopathic physician and alternative medicine advocate. Also, it is not based in New York but in…

Will the price of prescription artificial tears or eye drops used to alleviate irritation and to treat dry eye syndrome increase tenfold in the coming year? No, that's not true: South Korea's Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) announced the price for the medical product will likely increase by two to threefold, not 10, in the event the agency…

Did 12 million farm fishes die on Korean south coast due to radioactive contamination? No, that's not true: The reason for the fish death was high water temperature. The claim originated from a video (archived here) where it was published by @nangezaici on TikTok, on September 6, 2023 under the title "핵오염 배출 4000만톤, 생물들이 계속 패사", "40 million tons…

Did K-pop group BLACKPINK disband as of September 26, 2023? No, that's not true: Despite reports of one member rejecting a contract renewal offer, the group or the record label have not made any announcement on their disbandment. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) published by @bored._.af9 on TikTok on September 17, 2023, with the following caption, translated…

Did the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant release radioactive black water in the ocean? No, that's not true: The video footage of such a claim is from Acapulco, Mexico, in June 2020. The claim was published in a video (archived here) by the account @nangezaici on TikTok, on August 25, 2023, under the title "심하다 핵오염수 배출 현장." It says (translated…

Did a Chinese scientist's experimental alteration of DNA in human embryos provide a successful model for future gene-editing applications? No, that's not true: The scientist was imprisoned for his illegal experiment, which was overwhelmingly condemned by peers in medical and scientific communities across the world The claim appeared in a video (archived here) where it was published by @kimnolbullshxt on…

Do environmental nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) hide the fishnet problem in favor of the fishing industry? No, that's not true: Seventy to 80 percent of plastic marine waste is transported by river from the land, according to two scientific studies. The claim reappeared as a video (archived here) where it was published by @1minute_jisik on TikTok on March 7, 2023, under…