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  • 2022-10-27 (xsd:date)
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  • Photo shows Moon Jae-in bowing to South Korean veteran, not top North Korean official (en)
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  • A photo has been shared by South Korean social media users who falsely claim it shows former president Moon Jae-in bowing to Kim Yong-chol -- a high-ranking North Korean official -- at a meeting while the former was still in office. However, the photo actually shows Moon paying his respects to a South Korean veteran of the Korean war during a ceremony held in June 2017. Kim Yong-chol's first recorded visit to South Korea took place during Moon's term in February 2018 as part of a North Korean delegation to the closing ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. The image, which shows Moon bowing to an elderly man in uniform who can be seen saluting in response, was shared here on Facebook on October 20, 2022. The loyalty shown by a follower of Kimilsungism, reads the Korean-language caption, referring to a North Korean ideology codified by Kim Il Sung , the regime's founder. Text on the image claims Moon's actions were obsequious and pathetic and labels the elderly man as Kim Yong-chol, the main perpetrator of the sinking of the Cheonan. The text below the image states: This posture shows (Moon) paying homage to North Korea's Kim Yong-chol by stooping low. Such an embarrassing and shameful act. Screenshot of the misleading claim shared on Facebook. Captured October 26, 2022. Kim Yong-chol is a North Korean four-star general and politician who was once described as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's right-hand man. South Korean intelligence has blamed him for the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan which killed 46 sailors in 2010. As North Korea's top diplomat in charge of South Korean affairs, he visited South Korea during the 2018 Winter Olympics and accompanied Kim Jong Un to two summit meetings with Moon in April and September 2018. The image was also shared alongside a similar false claim on Facebook here , here , here and here . However, the posts misidentify the man in uniform -- the photo in fact shows Moon paying respect to a South Korean veteran of the Korean war in June 2017, a year before Kim Yong-chol's first visit. Veteran ceremony A reverse image search on Google shows the photo shared in the false posts corresponds to an image published by Yonhap News, a South Korean news organisation, on June 15, 2017. The photo's caption reads: President Moon Jae-in bows in respect after receiving a salute from a participant of the 'warm luncheon for persons of distinguished service to the nation and their families' ceremony held at the Blue House reception hall on the morning of the 15th. 2017.6.15. Screenshot of the corresponding photo published by Yonhap News on its photo database. Captured October 26, 2022. Below is a screenshot comparison of the photo shared in the false posts on Facebook (left) and the original photo published by Yonhap News in June 2017 (right): Screenshot comparison of the photo shared in the false posts on Facebook (left) and the original photo published by Yonhap News in June 2017 (right) The same photo was published in multiple reports about the ceremony from June 2017 that specifically mentioned Moon bowing to the veteran, seen here , here and here . The Seoul Economic Daily reported that the 226 people invited to the ceremony were persons of distinguished service to the nation, including Korean War veterans and their families. As Moon greeted the guests upon their entrance into the reception hall, one veteran saluted President Moon, who responded by paying his respects with a ninety-degree bow, the report read. A photo of Moon bowing to another veteran at the same ceremony was published in reports here . Kim Yong-chol Photos of Kim Yong-chol can be seen in AFP's archive and show a different person than the one seen in the falsely shared photo. Below is an AFP photo showing Kim Yong-chol in Pyongyang in 2018: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (back R) and North Korea's director of the United Front Department, Kim Yong Chol (front C) arrive for a meeting at the Park Hwa Guest House in Pyongyang on July 6, 2018. ( POOL / Andrew Harnik) His first recorded visit to South Korea was on February 28, 2018, when he attended the Winter Olympics' closing ceremony at Pyeongchang, AFP reported . According to local reports here and here , Moon met with Kim Yong-chol and other North Korean delegates on February 25 at an undisclosed location in Pyeongchang county, though Moon's office did not release photos of this meeting. The reports further raised speculation that Moon did not invite Kim Yong-chol to the Blue House due to strong protests from the opposition about Kim's responsibility for the Cheonan's sinking. An earlier North Korean delegation had visited the Blue House after the Olympics opening ceremony on February 10, but Kim Yong-chol was not part of this group. Kim was not seen in videos and reports about that visit. AFP has not found any images or official reports that show Moon publicly bowing to Kim on any occasion. (en)
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