YouTube election campaigns raise concerns over 'hatred business'

One after another, election campaigns on YouTube are unfolding as candidates for the 22nd general election announce their candidacy and recruit party members through the platform. This trend has emerged alongside a growing number of prospective candidates who gain recognition via political YouTube channels popular among staunch supporters of ruling and opposition parties. However, concerns have been raised regarding the dissemination of conspiracy theories and false information, as well as the proliferation of hostile comments toward opposing camps, potentially exacerbating extreme political polarization.

Former First Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service, Park Seon-won, the 4th candidate recruited by the Democratic Party of Korea for the upcoming general election, made an appearance on the YouTube channel 'Park Si-young TV' on Jan. 29. During his appearance, he commented on the attack on Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myeong, saying, "I believe this was not a one-person incident. How could such a crime occur without someone orchestrating it?" He further remarked, "While the government may seem to prioritize the ROK-US alliance on the surface, a closer examination reveals that it is leveraging this alliance to benefit Japan."

Former Namyangju Mayor Cho Gwang-han, a preliminary candidate for the Gyeonggi Namyangju constituency who joined the People Power Party in September of last year as the ruling party's 'first talent recruit', made an appearance on the conservative YouTube channel 'Lee Bong-gyu TV' on Jan. 31. During the broadcast, he said, “The conclusion I have come to is that Representative Lee Jae-myung is a person who should not even be a village chief. The public is too lenient regarding the true nature of him. He is a dangerous individual.”

Experts express concerns that the 'YouTube election campaign' trend might foster hate politics and give rise to what they term as 'hate business.' Cho Jin-man, a professor of political science and diplomacy at Duksung Women's University, said, “It's a vicious cycle where political polarization intensifies as individuals who align with the ideologies and preferences of political YouTube channels take center stage. It's a form of 'hate business' that consolidates supporters by presenting conspiracies as factual insights within the political landscape.”


김은지 기자 eunji@donga.com