Photo shows South Korean president dining with merchants, not 'celebrating' flood control efforts

"These people are trash bent on destroying the country," reads part of the Korean-language caption of a photo shared on Facebook here on July 30.

"President Yoon, heads of ministries responsible for flood prevention and People Power Party leaders hold a drinking party to celebrate the success of flood prevention efforts."

The photo shows Yoon standing near a table where food has been laid out, he is pictured holding up his hand while the other diners at the table appear to laugh.

Text below the image reads: "While the people affected by floods shed sweat and tears to recover their homes, see how our leader acts with such immaturity. Truly deplorable!"

Local media reported that at least 47 people were killed during torrential rains that caused flooding and landslides in South Korea in July (archived links here and here).

Yoon has vowed to "completely overhaul" the country's approach to extreme weather from climate change, calling for "extraordinary determination" to improve the country's preparedness and response (archived link).

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Screenshot of the misleading Facebook post, captured on August 1, 2023

The same photo was shared alongside similar claims on Facebook here, here and here.

Comments from some users indicated they believed it showed a party that officials had held to celebrate the country's flood control efforts.

One user wrote: "Celebrate the success of flood control? Are they all blind and deaf? Aren't they able to see or hear about all the people whose lives were devastated by the flooding?"

"How can they claim and celebrate the success of flood control? So many people have died and lost their homes," wrote another user. "What about compensation for their families and punishment for those responsible? And yet they hold a party to celebrate the success before the people's pain has healed?"

But the photo does not show the president celebrating flood control efforts. It was taken during Yoon's visit to a major fish market in Busan when he dined with local merchants.

Fish market visit

A reverse image search on Google led to the same photo published on the website of South Korea's presidential office (archived link).

"President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife visited Busan's Jagalchi market to encourage local merchants on July 27," reads the caption of the photo, which is part of a gallery documenting his visit to the fish market.

Below is a screenshot comparison between the photo shared in the misleading Facebook posts (left) and the photo published on the presidential office's website (right):

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Screenshot comparison between the photo shared in the misleading Facebook posts (left) and the photo published on the presidential office's website (right)

It was also published in multiple local media reports, including here, here and here, which said it shows Yoon greeting visitors during a dinner meeting with local merchants (archived links here, here and here).

Video of the visit and dinner was published in reports by local broadcasters, including here and here, which show the dinner captured from different angles (archived links here and here).

Yoon's official YouTube channel also published a video of the dinner, with captions that say his meal was meant to "promote the consumption of local seafood" (archived link).

In a separate press release, Yoon's office said his visit and dinner were meant to "encourage fish market merchants suffering from a decline in seafood consumption" (archived link).

According to the press release, as well as Yonhap News, Yoon was accompanied by Busan's mayor, the country's minister of oceans and fisheries, as well as other top presidential office officials (archived link).

None of the reports included any mention of flood control efforts, nor could AFP find any other reports about Yoon or members of the ruling party attending an event to "celebrate the success flood prevention efforts", as of August 4.