Police said Thursday they will investigate false Internet rumors about the death of a business tycoon who owned the Sewol ferry that sank in southern waters in April.

The state forensic lab has confirmed that a body found on June 12 at a plum farm on the south coast is that of Yoo Byung-eun after conducting DNA and other tests, but it has failed to determine the cause of his death.

Some netizens claim that the body belongs to another person, while others insist that Yoo's X-ray pictures were manipulated.

"We're going to embark on an internal probe into false Internet postings as groundless rumors about the tycoon's death are spreading, causing social confusion," the National Police Agency said.  

Police said they will track down those who ill-purposely and repeatedly uploaded such postings and investigate them on defamation charges.

The 73-year-old tycoon had been the target of a months-long manhunt on multiple charges of corruption in business operations as he pursued profit at the expense of passenger safety, which is believed to have caused the April 16 accident that claimed more than 300 lives. (Yonhap)