Kim Jong Un dead? The truth about the photo and video that nearly changed the world

The article examines rumors about Kim Jong Un's death, which spread alongside an alleged photo of him in a hospital and a death announcement video. A technological check found that the photo was likely AI-generated, and the video is an archival clip from 2011. Official North Korean photos from a clothing exhibition show Kim alive.

The article examines rumors about Kim Jong Un's death, which spread online alongside an alleged photo of him in a hospital in China and a death announcement video on state television. A check by the company AI or Not classified the hospital photo as AI-generated with a 99% confidence score. The video presented as a death announcement turned out to be an archival clip from 2011, in which the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, was announced. Another screenshot from an 'updated' broadcast was also classified as artificial, with a 100% score. In contrast, North Korean state media published on October 20 photos of Kim touring a clothing exhibition in Pyongyang, which according to the official news agency took place the day before. In South Korea as well, no information was found to substantiate the rumors. The article highlights how a convincing image and a dramatic caption can turn an unsubstantiated claim into a story that seems real.