North Korea Demands China Stop Fat-Shaming their Supreme Leader

On November 16, Chinese websites tried again to block the popular search ‘Fatty Kim the Third’ as North Korean officials demanded that the Chinese Foreign Ministry take action against ridiculing foreign leaders. According to Apple Daily (a Hong Kong-based newspaper) the censorship was initiated in response to a recent meeting between Chinese and North Korean officials. In a following news conference, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman stated that "the Chinese government stays committed to building a healthy and civilized environment of opinions. We disapprove of referring to the leader of any country with insulting and mocking remarks."

Ridiculing nicknames such as “Kim Fatty III,” “Kim Fat Fatty,” and “Kim Abundant III,” have gained popularity on Chinese websites like Baidu and Weibo in response to Kim Jong Un’s alleged weight-gain since becoming the ruler of North Korea in 2011. The term “fat” has been used to mock Kim, his father, and grandfather, so this was not the first time China has allegedly tried to ban these taunting nicknames.  In 2015, the search term “Kim Fatty III” was thought to be censored following an official Chinese visit to the Worker’s Party 70th anniversary celebration in Pyongyang.

Reportedly after the censorship was applied, Chinese internet-users have simply resorted to using different ways of disparaging Kim Jong Un. While no results come up when searching items like “Kim Fat Fatty,” many other nicknames have risen up to take its place; users now use names like “Kim Fat Fat Fat” and “Kim Chubby III” to mock the North Korean ruler. These names are likely embraced by Chinese internet-users who look down at their country’s nominal ally, especially after North Korea conducted nuclear and missile tests in early September.