Did PM Hun Sen Wear a Gun at a Peace Forum in S. Korea?
About two weeks ago, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen traveled to South Korea to receive the Sunhak Peace Prize. At the same time, a claim on social media said the premier wore a gun to participate in the peace prize event held in Seoul. The claim also posted a picture showing PM Hun Sen wearing a gun. The claim has been multiple shared by Khmer-speaking social media users along with a mixture of comments and reactions. After our investigation, however, it is found the claim is false.
Social Media Claim
On February 11 just a day before Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen departed the country to South Korea, a Facebook user claimed the premier wore a gun to receive a peace prize. The claim author also posted a picture showing PM Hun Sen wearing a gun along with his body.
The claim has been multiple shared by many Khmer-speaking social media users, some of them expressed a mixture of comments and reactions as well.
Below is a capture of the social media claim read “Wearing a gun to receive a peace prize! […]”
Fact Check
Fact Crescendo Cambodia began an investigation into the above-mentioned claim by running a reserve image search and reviewing how PM Hun Sen dressed in the peace prize ceremony held in South Korea about two weeks ago. Below is the result of our investigation.
By running a reverse image search, we found out the picture showing PM Hun Sen wearing a gun at his body was posted on social media by a Facebook user on February 9. The post can be seen here or archived link here.
The uncropped picture shows PM Hun Sen wearing a gun at his body in a meeting with actors, actresses, and film production team who were selected for a drama titled “A Son below a Full Moon” – a biographical series about PM Hun Sen.
The meeting took place on February 8, three days before he left the country for South Korea, and was posted on the premier’s Facebook page.
Did PM Hun Sen wear a gun participating in the peace ceremony?
PM Hun Sen was announced on January 25 the figure selected for the Sunhak Peace Prize, and he travelled to receive the prize in South Korea on February 12.
In a ceremony held in Seoul, Hun Sen dressed a suit and received the peace prize handed over by Hak Ja han Moon, a founder of the Sunhak Peace Prize.
Below is a capture of the post published on the premier’s Facebook page, showing his presence in the ceremony held in Seoul on February 12.
Hun Sen’s Facebook Page | Archived Link
Conclusion
Fact Crescendo Cambodia found out the above-mentioned claim is false. The picture shows PM Hun Sen wearing a gun at his body in the meeting on February 8 with a team of film production assigned to produce a drama series screening his biography. At the peace prize ceremony in Seoul, the premier did not wear any gun at all.
