The Seoul Metropolitan Police raided the head offices of three film distributors and of three multiplex cinema chains on Tuesday over the alleged fabrication of box office data.

According to the police, the businesses obstructed the work of the Korean Film Council by manipulating box office rankings with fraudulent tallies of moviegoers that went to see South Korean films in multiplexes, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The film council manages the movie box office, including audience numbers and sales, by operating the Korean Box Office Information System.

Film industry businesses, including movie theaters, send related data through the information system.