Summary
A viral image purporting to show a murder suspect on the run in Tongyeong, South Korea, was found to have been altered using artificial intelligence to make the suspect’s face appear clearer and seemingly non-Korean. South Korean police confirmed the image shared on Instagram was not authentic and was neither provided by police nor obtained during the investigation. The alteration fueled speculation that the suspect was a foreign resident, leading to renewed concerns over unfounded hostility toward foreign nationals in Korea. Police warned against sharing unverified images as they remained at large three weeks after the June 10 crime.