China’s Censors Online Insults Against NOKO’s Kim Amid Visit Rumors

Amid rumors that are spreading like wildfire that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is in China for a “secret” visit, Chinese censors are working double time on Tuesday to cleanse social media of unflattering references to the “special guest.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">SCOOP: Kim Jong Un has left North Korea for the first time as its leader. He&#39;s in China, we&#39;re told. <a href="https://t.co/MBphhgpwFy">https://t.co/MBphhgpwFy</a></p>&mdash; Alex Wayne (@aawayne) <a href="https://twitter.com/aawayne/status/978301611989700609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Government officials and the state media both did not confirm whether Kim, or any top North Korean official, was really visiting Beijing after Japanese media exposed through a report that a special North Korean train had arrived in the city on Monday.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Opendprk Breakingnews:Kim jong un &#39;s train just arrived in China! <a href="https://t.co/nyKCDvaylu">pic.twitter.com/nyKCDvaylu</a></p>&mdash; Opendprk.org (@opendprk) <a href="https://twitter.com/opendprk/status/978224505192460288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

There are also tell tales signs of the controversial visit as Beijing was under tight security, with a heavy police presence at venues where President Xi Jinping usually hosts foreign dignitaries, further fueling speculation that Kim was indeed in China.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: North Korean official, believed to be Kim Jong Un, arrives in China <a href="https://t.co/Qh9vKPIKVH">https://t.co/Qh9vKPIKVH</a> <a href="https://t.co/r4SG3pSYY5">pic.twitter.com/r4SG3pSYY5</a></p>&mdash; BNO News (@BNONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/BNONews/status/978302838836252673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

For one, there’s a large security presence outside the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, where North Korean leaders have stayed in the past, adding to the speculations that Kim, or at least a member of his family, had traveled to China.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Tuesday that she “had no idea” about the matter. Speculations are swirling all over social media, however, from mainstream media organizations to political observers and partisans, to ordinary citizens.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Is Kim Jong Un in China? <a href="https://t.co/IwENutQIvK">https://t.co/IwENutQIvK</a> <a href="https://t.co/d3WKCoRLNK">pic.twitter.com/d3WKCoRLNK</a></p>&mdash; CNN (@CNN) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNN/status/978505250050138113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">North Korea: Kim Jong-un in China for &#39;unannounced state visit&#39; <a href="https://t.co/6KUWqQmhro">https://t.co/6KUWqQmhro</a></p>&mdash; eriyafree (@loveyltass) <a href="https://twitter.com/loveyltass/status/978562307423838209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">INTERESTING: Kim Jong Un has made a surprise visit to Beijing on his first known trip outside North Korea since taking power in 2011. This comes days after Trump slapped China with tariffs. <br><br>What are they discussing??</p>&mdash; The Trump Train 🇺🇸 (@The_Trump_Train) <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Trump_Train/status/978396380447338496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Still, authorities have aggressively deleted or blocked any mention of Kim, North Korea, or the rumored visit to China on all of China’s heavily used but closely regulated social media. So conscientious is the censorship process that censors are apparently barring even insulting Chinese nicknames for Kim Jong Un, some of which social media users may only be using humorously.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Latest: Kim speculation triggers action by China censors <a href="https://t.co/yFeSESgE8U">https://t.co/yFeSESgE8U</a></p>&mdash; RND Info Network (@KarlaCary1) <a href="https://twitter.com/KarlaCary1/status/978560845423792129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The North Korean leader is often portrayed on China’s internet by the moniker “Kim Fatty the Third “ in reference to him being the third Kim to lead North Korea after his grandfather Kim II Sung and father, Kim Jong Il. The censors are leaving no stone unturned in wiping away all traces of insulting remarks or descriptions that even variations like “Fatty Fatty Fatty has come”. “Fatty Fatty Fatty Beijing” and “he really came” are also included in the list of banned phrases on Chinese Twitter Weibo service.

If social media users are being suppressed on their online activities relevant to Kim, superstitious Chinese investors are having a field day, on the other hand, milking the rumored visit to boost shares resembling Kim’s name.

The Mandarin character for “Kim” us pronounced “Jin” and means “gold”, and some several Chinese companies with Jin in their name soared in shares Tuesday. Chinese investors are known for their bizarre and superstitious buying choices.

Source:

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/03/27/asia-pacific/chinas-censors-investors-swoop-kim-rumors-ragge