Footage of South Korea anti-govt protest in 2019 falsely linked to marine death inquiry

Hailey JO / AFP South Korea

20 June 2024 at 2:42 am·2-min read

Protesters gathered in South Korea on May 25, 2024 to call for an independent probe into accusations of government meddling in an inquiry into the death of a young marine. A video shared in social media posts about the rally, however, shows a different protest in October 2019, when hundreds of thousands called for the ouster of the scandal-tainted defence minister.

"Massive crowd at a protest rally on May 25, 2024 calling for a special counsel investigation into the case of Marine Chae," read a YouTube video with more than 2.5 million views.

Chae Su-geun was a marine killed in a flood relief operation in July 2023. Reports said the 20-year-old had not been given a life vest.

The military launched an inquiry into his death, which was quickly retracted after initially accusing officials of negligence (archived link).

South Korea's opposition-led parliament pushed for a bill to investigate allegations of government meddling in the inquiry.

But the legislation was vetoed by Yoon, which prompted street protests calling for an independent probe (archived link).

<span>Screenshot of the false post, taken on June 14, 2024</span> — Screenshot of the false post, taken on June 14, 2024

The video spread widely online, including on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and X, formerly Twitter, and on South Korean platforms Naver Blog, Ilbe and Jongto.net.

Comments on the posts suggested social media users believed the video showed the May protest.

"All marine veterans' associations across the country must have been up in arms," one wrote.

Another said: "So many people turned up like that and no media covered it?"

2019 protest

A reverse image search found the protest footage shared online in 2019 -- years before Chae Su-geun's death.

South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper posted the footage on YouTube October 3, 2019, saying it showed conservative groups rallying that day (archived link).

A side-by-side comparison of the video circulating in false social media posts (left) and posted by Chosun Ilbo (right) confirms it shows the same incident.

<span>Screengrab comparison of the video in false posts (L) and in Chosun Ilbo's YouTube video (R)</span> — Screengrab comparison of the video in false posts (L) and in Chosun Ilbo's YouTube video (R)

At the video's 21-second mark, a red banner can be seen reading "Overthrow Moon Jae-in, Arrest Cho Kuk" referring to the then-president and then-justice minister.

Red is the colour of conservative parties in South Korea.

Hundreds of thousands of anti-government protesters took part in the rally on Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square calling for Cho's ouster (archived link).

Moon's approval rating hit a record low after he appointed the scandal-tainted ally, who resigned weeks later (archive link).

Furthermore, the rally on May 25, 2024 took place near Sungnyemun Square, not Gwanghwamun Square. The two locations are about 1.8 kilometres (one mile) apart.

AFP previously fact-checked posts that shared the same video as a protest against Covid restrictions in 2020.

June 21, 2024 This article was amended to correct metadata

HuffPost
Audio Of Trump Talking About Taylor Swift's Looks Is Creeping Everyone TF Out
The former president used one word five times when describing the pop icon.
The Telegraph
Who won the BBC general election TV debate? Our writers give their verdicts
How did Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer – the two men who could be prime minister at the end of next week – fare in their final face-to-face clash of the campaign? Our commentators Tim Stanley and Tom Harris give their verdicts.
The Telegraph
Keir Starmer is about to kill the Brexit dream for good
Sir Keir Starmer and his Labour team enjoy warm cuddly feelings about the European Union. Although Starmer has ruled out returning to the customs union or the EU’s single market, Labour says that it will improve the UK’s relationship with the EU by negotiating a veterinary agreement to reduce border checks and seeking mutual recognition agreements allowing touring artists and professionals to export their services to the EU.
Business Insider
North Korean troops will become 'cannon fodder' if they aid Russia in Ukraine, Pentagon says
A Pentagon spokesperson said that any military personnel North Korea sent to Ukraine to aid Russian forces would just be "cannon fodder."
HuffPost UK
'Shouldn't Be Allowed To Make Stuff Up': James Cleverly Left Stuttering Over His Migration Claims
"It's invented, isn't it, James?" Labour's Yvette Cooper said.
HuffPost
Newsmax Slaps Very Awkward Note On Screen During Donald Trump Interview
Critics on social media suggested the chyron meant one thing.
The Telegraph
Sunak may have made the biggest electoral mistake in British history
When the history of this election campaign comes to be written, one question will perplex the compilers more than any other: why now? The Tory officials and police officers being investigated for alleged gambling law infractions by betting on a snap contest in July will have secured very good odds for the simple reason that no one was expecting it.
The Telegraph
Reform puts British people first – how is that a wasted vote?
This is just a hunch, but I imagine some of you are as sick as I am of hearing that a vote for Reform is a wasted vote. Let me tell you what a wasted vote is. Casting my ballot in December 2019 with a song in my heart for the Conservatives. Nothing I voted for came to pass. Worse than that, in many cases the alleged Tory government did precisely the opposite of what I wanted. Every Conservative principle I held dear trashed.
Reuters
US, Russia defense chiefs speak as tensions rise over Crimea attack
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. and Russian defense chiefs spoke by telephone on Tuesday in rare communication between the two powers and with tensions rising after Moscow blamed Washington for a deadly Ukraine attack over the weekend on the Russian-annexed Crimea. The two sides gave widely divergent accounts of the conversation - the first one between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Russia's new Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, who replaced Sergei Shoigu in May.
HuffPost
Ex-Trump White House Attorney Burns Docs Judge With What 'Seems To Be Her New Last Name'
CNN's Erin Burnett laughed at Ty Cobb's suggestion.
HuffPost
Social Media Predicts Outcome Of Trump-Biden Debate — And It's Hilarious
Pundits and politicians aren’t the only ones offering their hot takes on how Thursday’s CNN event will go.
Reuters
EU countries agree sanctions on Belarus to plug 'biggest loophole' in Russian measures
European Union countries agreed a sanctions package against Belarus on Wednesday, EU diplomats and Belgium said, to try to close off a route to avoiding restrictions on Russia. The EU adopted this week its 14th package of sanctions to punish Russia for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which included clauses that increased responsibility on EU companies exporting via non-EU countries. "This package will strengthen our measures in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, including combating circumvention of sanctions," Belgium, which holds the EU presidency until the end of June, said on X.
The Telegraph
Why the French state pension is about to bring down Macron
Emmanuel Macron’s controversial pension reforms have loomed over his second presidential term – and could now be his undoing.
CNN
She managed to leave Gaza after half of her family was killed in Israeli strike. She blames Hamas for what happened
Roba Abu Jibba looked shell-shocked as the doctor delivered his news: She couldn’t have the operation she desperately wanted. She nervously scrunched the fabric of her dress, fighting off the tears that began flooding her one remaining eye.
The Telegraph
Farage prepared for ‘ding-dong with French’ over small boat crisis
For someone seeking to inspire a public revolt to topple the Tories, it was no surprise that Nigel Farage took to the sea in a catamaran on Tuesday in an attempt to embarrass Rishi Sunak over his “Stop the Boats” pledge.
The Guardian
Labour ‘not putting up a fight’ against Farage in Clacton
Labour officials said to be upset that Jovan Owusu-Nepaul was gaining traction for viral social media posts
CNN
Biden administration moves toward allowing American military contractors to deploy to Ukraine
The Biden administration is moving towards lifting a de facto ban on American military contractors deploying to Ukraine, four US officials familiar with the matter told CNN, to help the country’s military maintain and repair US-provided weapons systems.
HuffPost
Nancy Pelosi Delivers Blistering 5-Word Trump Prediction
The former House speaker slammed the former president’s rhetoric after she was asked about her husband’s recovery from a 2022 hammer attack.
HuffPost
GOP Lawmaker Gets Mountain Of Mockery After Wild New Biden Conspiracy Theory
Rep. Eric Burlison's attack on the president fell flat on social media.
The Telegraph
Macron may soon resign
With Britain swept up in its own election, it easy to miss the equally momentous one taking place across the Channel.

2019 protest

Latest stories