Posts claiming S.Korea official sidelined in China share cropped photo
A photo of South Korean National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik at a massive military parade in China has sparked baseless online rumours that he was relegated to the “farthest back seat” during the ceremony on September 3, 2025. The posts share a picture that was cropped to give the misleading impression that Woo was isolated among security staff.
“Woo Won-shik’s seat at the China Victory Day celebration… he’s sitting at the farthest back seat with the bodyguards,” reads a Korean-language post that shared the image September 3 on Ilbe, a far-right forum. “His expression looks rotten.”
Screenshot of the misleading Facebook post captured September 4, with an orange X added by AFP
Similar posts circulated in right-wing groups on Facebook as troops marched in a military parade in Beijing to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Japan and the end of World War II (archived link).
Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over the event, prominently sitting next to Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.
Woo’s office confirmed his attendance and reported he shook hands with Kim at the event (archived link). South Korean reports noted Woo’s seat was positioned away from Kim — possibly to avoid a sensitive diplomatic tableau (archived link).
But Woo, who represented South Korea and President Lee Jae Myung at the commemoration, was still seated among foreign dignitaries — the picture shared online has been misleadingly cropped.
Chinese state media CCTV’s coverage of the parade shows him positioned on the right side of the Tiananmen Square rostrum, next to Myanmar’s junta chief Min Aung Hlaing. Woo’s wife also sat by him (archived links here and here).
Screenshot comparison between the image shared in the misleading posts (L) and a corresponding scene from CCTV footage of delegates at the military parade, with Woo’s placement marked in blue by AFP
Security staff wearing red tags can be seen standing behind the delegation, but Woo was not seated among them.
The picture circulating online was cropped to omit Min Aung Hlaing and other foreign officials, making Woo appear alone with a line of guards.
Woo’s seat corresponds to approximately the right corner of the Tiananmen pavilion, as seen in the video’s 5:07 mark.
Screenshot of a wider shot of Tiananmen Square, where delegates watched the parade on September 3, with Woo’s approximate placement marked in red by AFP
Several South Korean reports commented that Woo’s seat was relatively distant from Kim and Xi, but AFP could find no credible evidence that he was demoted to sit with security staff (archived here and here).
AFP has previously debunked similar claims about the treatment of South Korean dignitaries at international events.
