Conspiracy theories targeting S.Korean election integrity resurface ahead of local polls
factcheck.afp.com
Recycled hacking and vote-rigging claims in South Korea show how conspiracy theories self-replicate across election cycles — and why debunking alone never kills them.
Illusory Truth EffectEpistemic BubbleMotivated ReasoningPrebunking Theory
Theory Briefing
- Ahead of South Korean local polls, the same hacking and illegal-ballot conspiracy theories from past elections are resurfacing almost word-for-word.
- Repeat exposure to election-integrity myths strengthens belief in them over time, a pattern well explained by the illusory truth effect.
- Fact-checkers face a structural disadvantage: each new election gives viral falsehoods a fresh, motivated audience primed to distrust official results.