South Korea's president denounces unfounded YouTube allegations of slush fund and military secrets

South Korea’s President Lee Jae-myung on Monday denounced a YouTube program that aired unverified claims about a slush fund and the leakage of military secrets, calling the allegations “a truly pathetic and malicious smear” and saying such acts must be punished. He posted the remark on his social media account, quoting Rep. Han Junho of the ruling Democratic Party.

Rep. Han Junho’s post criticized the content of the video, which had been published on August 18 by the YouTube channel run by Jeon Han-gil, Jeon Hankil News. The post targeted the program for distributing allegations about national security and financial improprieties without substantiation.

In the video, a man identifying himself as a former operative of South Korea’s National Security Planning Agency, known at the time as the an-gi-bu, alleges that President Lee is preparing to flee the country to China. The man also claims that Lee recently handed over 160 trillion won in military secrets to China in Singapore. He said the information came from a U.S. intelligence officer but provided no concrete evidence to support the claims.

The post by Rep. Han Junho refrained from endorsing the video’s specifics and instead focused on criticizing the broadcast as unfounded and “smear” campaigning. The episode highlights ongoing concerns in South Korea about misinformation and political manipulation on social media and independent online channels.

For U.S. readers, the episode matters because South Korea’s stability and credibility as a security partner influence regional defense planning, alliance-based deterrence with the United States, and supply chains tied to defense and technology sectors. Public trust in South Korea’s political leadership and in information about national security can affect investor confidence, defense procurement, and multinational coordination on regional security issues.

Contextual background: the National Security Planning Agency was the predecessor to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, a distinction with historical resonance in discussions of intelligence and governance. The YouTube host and channel involved in this episode operate outside mainstream broadcast media, underscoring the growing role of online platforms in shaping public discourse in South Korea.

The report notes that no independent verification or corroborating evidence was provided for the assertions made in the video. Officials and lawmakers cited in the article called the material baseless and unacceptable, but did not present any corroborating information of their own within this report. The situation illustrates ongoing tensions between political messaging, media accountability, and national security in a highly monitored alliance framework.