Is the Internet An Omnipotent Precious Sword? The Use of Internet and the Spread of Rumors to South Korean Combatants

North Korea is waging psychological warfare, through the internet, to erode the morale of the South Korean combatants. This study aims to examine whether the widespread use of the internet among the South Korean combatants has a significant effect on their belief in rumors allegedly originating from North Korean propaganda, for two reasons. First, South Korea’s psychological counter-operation has been accused of inducing South Korean combatants to promote hatred and prejudice against the progressive political parties that support North Korean regime, causing harm to South Korea’s democracy. Second, there is little empirical research on the effects of South Korea’s psychological counter-operation on the individual’s rumor belief and transmission. Results from a survey conducted among 707 South Korean combatants indicate that military education aimed to refute North Korea’s propaganda, statistically speaking, significantly decreased their belief in rumor, but it did not decrease the likelihood of rumor transmission. What was found to be conducive to rumor transmission was the individual’s social relations. Our analysis implies that internet use has a significant effect on the belief in and transmission of North Korean propaganda, but its effect can be moderated by various intervening factors.