AAP FACTCHECK – An eight-year-old photo of thousands of protesters in central Seoul is being shared on social media with claims that it shows a recent protest against South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
The image actually shows a mass protest against then-president Park Geun-hye in 2016.
President Yoon is facing impeachment proceedings and public protests after attempting to impose martial law on December 3, 2024.
Facebook posts have shared the image with claims that it depicts a massive march against the president.
“Today on the streets of South Korea as they marched the streets toward the presidential palace to demand the resignation of President Yoon Suk-yeol,” the caption said.
The original image, published by The Associated Press (AP) on December 3, 2016, was widely republished by international news outlets, including the ABC, Voice of America and The Wall Street Journal.
The AP’s original caption confirms the photo shows a demonstration calling for the removal of then-president Park Geun-hye over a corruption scandal.
As reported by Reuters, local police said at least 320,000 people took part in the protest, which was part of a series of rallies that had been going on for six weeks.
The 2016 demonstrations were among the largest in South Korea’s history, culminating in Park’s impeachment and removal from office in early 2017.
While the political upheaval involving President Yoon has sparked protests, there have been no reports of gatherings approaching the scale of the rallies eight years ago.
The Verdict
False – The claim is inaccurate.
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