South Korea's Ministry of Economy and Finance issued an alert rejecting online claims that the government plans to force the sale of US dollars, calling the reports unequivocally false and stating the idea has not been discussed. The ministry said the rumours have circulated on internet communities and blogs in connection with references to an “emergency fiscal and economic order” amid the prolonged Middle East war. It warned that the spread of unfounded claims in an emergency context can fuel market instability and undermine confidence in policy, and said it will respond strictly, including by requesting a police investigation into the dissemination of such misinformation.