The set of “Fox & Friends” had some kind words on Thursday for Kim Jong Un, calling the North Korean dictator “quite the romantic” while running a series of propaganda images of Kim touring around his country.
“Turns out Kim Jong Un is quite the romantic,” said Jillian Mele in a news brief.
“The North Korean dictator taking his wife on a tour of a fish pickling factory. State media releasing the photo to showcase what the rogue regime considers its economic strength,” she continued. “They did the same thing in 2014 when Kim visited a lubricant factory and when he visited a plant that makes potato starch.”
The story — which was openly sourced to the country’s “state media” — elicited some light banter from the group of regulars.
“The softer side of the dictator,” co-host Steve Doocy said. “He’s smiling.”
“Very romantic,” co-host Ainsley Earhardt said.
Brian Kilmeade went further, reminding viewers that the images showed Kim out among the people and not with missiles.
“The last couple of times you’ve seen him it’s been out with the people, talking manufacturing,” the co-host said. “Not with the missiles.”
CNN also covered Kim’s new propaganda photos — though with considerably less fawning. A rep for Fox News did not immediately respond to request for comment from TheWrap.
The portrayal by “Fox & Friends” is different from the actual record of Kim, who presides over the world’s most closed and repressive police states. International organizations and agencies have repeatedly condemned human rights violations in the country.
“Under the rule of Kim Jong-Un, North Korea remains among the world’s most repressive countries. The government sharply curtails all basic liberties, including freedom of expression, religion and conscience, assembly, and association. It prohibits political opposition, independent media, civil society, or trade unions,” reads a description from Human Rights Watch.
“A 2014 UN Commission of Inquiry found that the government committed gross, systematic and widespread rights abuses, including extermination, murder, enslavement, torture, imprisonment, rape, forced abortions, and other sexual violence.”