The claim made by a South Korean netizen that she 'slept her way' to victory over singer IU has been revealed to be a misunderstanding after the release of an email from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in relation to the report she lodged against the star.

According to Money Today, it started when a user, whose name was cited as Mr. A, accused IU of supporting the impeachment of President Yoon Seok Yeol by charging her food and coffee payment in advance at a pro-impeachment rally held in Seoul.

Mr. A told the authorities that he was engaged in a campaign in which right-wing online communities attempted to label celebrities as pro-North Korean sympathizers in the hope that it would make it more difficult for them to enter the US via the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

Mr. A posted on X (formerly Twitter) on December 24 that he received an email from the CIA stating that the agency had received too many reports from South Korea. He saw the email as an indication that his report could lead IU to have visa troubles, saying, "We are at a stage that even the CIA knows about us."

However, the CIA email did not confirm anything going to action against IU; it was just that Mr. A's submissions had been denied. According to the agency, he had filed several reports in a row from the same computer, which was against its policy of only allowing one submission every ten minutes.

The CIA told Mr. A. in its communication that "the policy is designed to reduce reporting overload," to which, "if you submitted a second email to add or clarify information to your first report, we sincerely apologize for the action taken."

Mr. A's intimation to the contrary is patently false; U.S. visa and residency matters are the purview of the State Department, which has little to do with leftist or rightist leanings as one applies but much to do with potential criminality, health status, affiliations with terrorist entities, and so on.

However, the State Department has said it looks at each application individually and never denies a visa just because the applicant isn't in the "right" political party.

Recently, there have been a number of reports of celebrities making comments critical of President Yoon, with users apparently hoping that any resultant fallout might hinder their ability to get U.S. visas and travel to America.

The tactic fits within an increasingly prevalent approach by right-leaning factions in the South Korean public to use social media to clamp down on dissent.

It has generated debate about the weaponization of informal complaints against politicians and the effect on public figures in South Korea.

Mr. A continued to think he had somehow managed to notify the CIA, but the agency's response indicated that no steps were being taken regarding IU's visa status.