Seoul Economic TV apologizes after President Lee Jae Myung condemns report as fake, anti-China

Seoul Economic TV on Thursday issued a public apology in the name of all its employees over a program claiming that Chinese buyers had massively purchased apartments in Seoul's Gangnam District.

Earlier in the day, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung criticized the report, calling it "deliberately fabricated fake news" that was intended to "incite anti-China sentiment."

The broadcaster had previously aired a report alleging that Chinese people snapped up 944 apartments in Seoul's Gangnam District, sweeping the market inventory.

In a post on social media, Lee said that official verification showed only five Chinese nationals had purchased apartment units in Gangnam between January and April this year, adding that the report was "clearly false." 

Lee also criticized the broadcaster during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, calling the report an attempt to stir up anti-China sentiment and saying those responsible should be held accountable, according to Yonhap News Agency.

In the apology statement, Seoul Economic TV said the production team had placed excessive emphasis on ratings and public attention, while shortcomings in its internal review mechanism failed to filter out false content effectively. 

The broadcaster said it "sincerely apologizes for the discomfort and confusion caused to many people." It has removed the false report from its platforms.