[비즈한국] President Lee Jae-myung has labeled material distributed by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) as deliberate fake news and has ordered a strong response. This follows the judgment that a leading economic organization in Korea systematically disseminated distorted information to block a specific policy. Bizhankook previously pointed out the issues with the statistics cited by the KCCI through an exclusive report on the 4th (related article [Exclusive] KCCI report claiming 2,400 wealthy individuals left Korea cited manipulated data 'controversy').
On the 7th, President Lee wrote on his personal social media account X (formerly Twitter), "Producing and distributing fake news to pursue private interests and attack government policies deserves condemnation," adding, "Moreover, it is unbelievable that the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, an official organization established by law, would openly commit such acts." He delivered this high-intensity criticism.
Previously, on the 3rd, the KCCI released a report titled 'Analysis of Inheritance Tax Revenue Prospects and Diversification of Payment Methods,' claiming that 2,400 high-net-worth individuals in South Korea had emigrated overseas, which it stated was the 4th highest number in the world. The business community had used these statistics to bolster calls for inheritance tax cuts, but as pointers emerged regarding serious errors in the statistics, suspicions were raised that this was not a simple mistake, but rather public opinion manipulation with a specific agenda.
As the controversy spread, the KCCI stepped back that evening by issuing a notice stating, "There have been points raised that the statistics from the consulting firm cited in our press release require additional verification regarding calculation methods and methodology, and that there are certain limitations to citing them as official academic statistics," and requested, "We ask that you refrain from citing that part of the statistics until further verification and confirmation are conducted."
President Lee emphasized, "We must strictly hold them accountable and create mechanisms to prevent recurrence," adding, "Deliberate fake news intended to cloud the judgment of the sovereign citizens who create policy is an enemy of democracy." Consequently, the possibility of a fact-finding investigation through relevant ministries is emerging.
Ultimately, immediately following President Lee's warning, the KCCI issued an official apology through a press release. The KCCI stated, "We deeply apologize for causing unnecessary confusion by citing external statistics regarding the outflow of high-net-worth individuals without sufficient verification," and added, "To ensure such cases do not recur, we will faithfully verify the facts and the accuracy of statistics when drafting materials based on a strong sense of responsibility, and we will be more careful, including by reinforcing our internal systems to allow for objective inspection."