The report came after the opposition-controlled National Assembly passed a bill on August 2 to provide all South Korean citizens with a cash allowance of 250,000 won as “emergency aid” during a cost of living crisis, one of Lee’s promises during the general election period (archived link).
The plan has been opposed by President Yoon Suk Yeol and the ruling People Power Party (PPP), who say it is fiscally irresponsible. The Democratic Party has overruled a PPP filibuster, but Yoon is still expected to veto the bill (archived link).
The same image was also shared on other Facebook pages linked to the PPP, here, here and here.
Comments on the posts showed that several users had been mistakenly misled into thinking that Lee or the Democratic Party bill proposed giving money to Chinese tourists.
Several users called Lee crazy, while others said he would be better off paying the benefits out of his own pocket “instead of with taxpayers’ money.”
Cash Payment Account
But a spokesman for Democratic Party lawmaker Seo Young-kyo, who co-authored the bill, told AFP the claim in the messages was “not true”.
He further said that Article 5 of the bill clearly states what types of foreigners are eligible for payouts, and that Chinese tourists are not included.
According to the final draft of the bill, which was published on the National Assembly’s website, only foreigners who are residents of the country, married to a South Korean citizen, have permanent resident status or have been granted asylum in South Korea will be eligible for the benefit (archived link).
The photo of Lee shared with the fake report matches a scene from Channel A news footage in which the former Democratic Party chairman first proposed the cash-sharing plan on March 24, ahead of the April elections (archived link).
The report, which included excerpts from Lee’s speech, said that in his speech, Lee proposed giving out 250,000 won to every South Korean citizen.
Below is a screenshot comparing the image shared in the fake news (left) with the original Channel A news report about Lee’s speech (right):
Footage of Lee’s full speech that day, filmed by broadcaster JTBC, shows he made no mention of whether foreigners would be eligible for the payout (archived link).
AFP has previously debunked false claims about Lee, here, here and here.
