Police probe blogger over post claiming 900,000 barrels of crude reserves...

Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency [YONHAP]

Police are investigating a blogger who allegedly posted fabricated claims that nearly a million barrels of crude oil stored in Ulsan had been secretly shipped to North Korea.

The suspect faces charges including violations of the Framework Act on Telecommunications for posting false information on his Naver blog to boost traffic and advertising revenue, according to the Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency.

A post uploaded on March 26 claimed that 900,000 barrels of crude oil stored in Ulsan had been shipped by sea to Dalian, China, before being transferred to North Korea through a pipeline.

The post also allegedly claimed that the information had been disclosed by a National Intelligence Service operative.

Police said the blog featured fabricated claims under the headline that translates roughly to “Disappearing Crude Oil Flowed to North Korea,” along with manipulated images and a bank account number under the suspect’s name.

Investigators identified the blog operator after confirming that advertisements were displayed on the site and determining that the case may constitute a violation of the telecommunications law.

A sticker reads crude oil on the side of a storage tank in the Permian Basin in Mentone, Texas, on Nov. 22, 2019. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

The suspect reportedly admitted during questioning to using AI to write the posts without verifying the facts and said the uploads were intended to increase web traffic and boost advertising revenue.

“Creating and spreading false information during a national crisis can intensify social confusion and constitutes a serious crime,” an official from the Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency said. “We will continue online monitoring and respond strictly to cases involving the dissemination of false information.”

Earlier, the National Office of Investigation under the Korean National Police Agency said it was conducting an intensive investigation, led by regional cyber investigation units, into 38 accounts accused of spreading fake news related to the war in the Middle East.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.