A controversial claim has emerged among far-right and conservative supporters suggesting that celebrities who sponsored coffee, kimbap, and other items for protests calling for President Yoon Sukyeol's impeachment should be reported to the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency).
These supporters argue that celebrities like IU, SNSD Yuri, and NewJeans, who supported the impeachment protest, are anti-American and should be reported to the CIA, claiming that this would lead to their U.S. entry being denied. A 'reporting relay' of these celebrities has also begun.
To be clear, the claim that reporting someone to the US CIA will result in a US travel ban is completely false. This is not the first time this has happened. This fake news originated on Ilbe (Ilgan Best) in 2016 and resurfaced again in 2018.
At the time, among far-right and conservative supporters, there was a widespread beliefe claiming that 'If individuals were reported as anti-American, the CIA would impose a permanent ban on U.S. entry and prohibit their children from studying abroad.' This fake news circulated widely on online communities and social media, prompting media outlets to fact-check the claims.
First, U.S. entry visa applications are reviewed by the U.S. Department of State, not the CIA. According to the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs, the criteria for visa approval include factors such as health status, criminal history, terrorism threats, illegal immigration history, and financial eligibility. Political views are not even considered in the visa process. The U.S. Embassy in Seoul has previously stated that issues like CIA reports are not worth responding to.
On the 17th (local time), U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller addressed the issue, stating, "We have seen the constitutional process in South Korea working as intended in recent weeks," and added, "Democracy, which was hard-won, should never be weakened or undermined."
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had also commented on the impeachment of President Yoon, saying, "The most important thing is that South Korea has shown democratic resilience," and, "We have seen them peacefully follow the procedures outlined in the constitution."
While domestic far-right groups and conservative supporters have supported martial law, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell criticized President Yoon's declaration of martial law as 'a very problematic and unlawful action' and stated, "It seems that President Yoon made a serious misjudgment."
Global media outlets have praised the protests in South Korea, with the New York Times (NYT) calling it 'a form of artistic performance beyond a political message' and AFP referring to it as 'a festival for democracy.' The protest culture, with demonstrators waving lightsticks while singing SNSD's 'Into the New World,' has been highly praised.
For celebrities living on public popularity and love, it would be impossible not to react to reports like the NYT's statement that "K-pop, as a cultural symbol, has now become a tool for expressing the essence of Korean democracy on a global platform."
We suggest you to enjoy K-pop rather than engaging with 'fake news.'
-Stupid.
-What are we going to do with those dumbasses?
-Told y'all, #2 voters are all sick in the head. They're the only ones who don't realize it.
-It’s amazing that they actually believe thatㅋㅋ
-The intelligence level… leave IU alone ^^
-CIA would think they're weird for reporting those celebritiesㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Why are there so many mentally ill people in our country?
-ㅋㅋㅋ These dumbasses ㅋㅋㅋ
-How do these dumbasses do social life?
-Does it even make sense to report a Korean person to the U.S.?
-It makes me angry that people with that level of intelligence have the same voting rights.
-Go listen to IU's 'Blooming' instead.
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