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A Misleading Video Amid Corruption Scandal in Indonesia
In the wake of the arrest of executives from Indonesia’s state-owned energy company, PT Pertamina, over a massive corruption scandal, a video has surfaced on social media, mistakenly suggesting that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un commented on this graft case. The video features fabricated subtitles that misrepresent Kim’s remarks, which originally centered on military preparedness, not Indonesian corruption.
The misleading subtitles assert, “We, as a friendly nation to Indonesia, share deep concern over the horrifying acts of corruption taking place,” implying an irrelevant diplomatic interest. This manipulated content was disseminated in a SnackVideo post dated March 18, 2025.
In addition, the subtitles falsely accuse government officials of reckless enrichment at the expense of the people’s trust—a serious claim added to the video without any legitimate sourcing.
This fabricated video began circulating shortly after Indonesia’s Attorney General disclosed on February 25, 2025, that several executives from PT Pertamina were arrested for engaging in allegedly corrupt practices related to oil imports that potentially cost the government upwards of $12 billion. These charges allege that between 2018 and 2023, the individuals conspired to import crude oil from international suppliers at inflated prices, thereby circumventing domestic sourcing laws.
The case also involves a questionable fuel blending process deemed “not permitted” by authorities.
The erroneous video has circulated on various social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and again on SnackVideo, misleading some viewers into believing the accuracy of the subtitles.
Reactions have shown a mix of embarrassment and incredulity, with users commenting, “What an embarrassment — our corruption is now famous in North Korea,” and “Even the leader of another country understands that Indonesia is the center of corruption.”
Despite the attention garnered, the clip contains misleading subtitles that alter the original context of Kim’s speech.
Debunking the Fabrication
A reverse image search revealed the video in question was originally published by the news outlet North Korea Now on February 13, 2024 (YouTube). This video features a speech by Kim where he discusses military readiness while preparing for potential conflicts, specifically mentioning the importance of maintaining peace through military strength.
The fabricated subtitles inaccurately attribute comments about corruption in Indonesia to his speech, which starts at the 25:37 mark, emphasizing military preparedness rather than the political concerns suggested by the misleading subtitles.
Additionally, Kim’s speech, as transcribed in the North Korean state newspaper Rodong Sinmun on February 9, 2024, made no reference to Indonesian corruption (archived link).
Furthermore, independent fact-checkers from AFP have discredited other instances of misinformation linked to the PT Pertamina corruption allegations, highlighting the importance of verifying information amidst ongoing political turmoil.
Source
www.yahoo.com