Google shuts down 449 Korean-language YouTube channels over coordinated influence operations

Google shut down 449 Korean-language YouTube channels this year for conducting coordinated influence operations aimed at manipulating public opinion.

Google's Threat Analysis Group published its "Q2 2026 Influence Operations Report" on July 31, according to the information and communications technology industry.

The report said Google blocked 22 Korean-language channels in April, 367 in May and 60 in June, for a total of 449.

The surge in May — when 81.7 percent of all blocked channels were taken down — coincided with the run-up to the June 3 local elections.

Of the channels removed in May, 142 had criticized the South Korean government, 71 supported it, 58 backed specific politicians, 53 simultaneously attacked the government and a particular political party, and 43 combined government support with criticism of a specific party.

In April, Google blocked 22 channels that had promoted certain politicians while attacking a specific party. In June, 60 channels were sanctioned for systematically spreading content critical of particular politicians.

Google determined that the channels had engaged in what it called "inauthentic coordinated behavior" — deploying multiple accounts to disguise organized activity as spontaneous individual expression in order to improperly shape political opinion.

Unlike its handling of similar operations linked to China, Russia and Iran, however, Google did not disclose the state actors behind the Korean-language channels, nor did it reveal the specific operators or channel names.