Social media users have shared a video with a false claim that it shows US singer Michael Jackson calling the Japanese invasion of Korea in the 16th century and the forced prostitution of Korean and Chinese women by Japanese troops during World War II "lies". However, the late singer's remarks were taken out of context -- he was in fact speaking about the discrimination against black artists in the US entertainment industry.

"Japan invaded Korea during the Imjin War? The Japanese government forced Korean women into becoming comfort women? All lies!! History textbooks don't tell the truth, they are lies! Michael Jackson," says text in Korean in an image shared alongside a picture of the late pop star on Facebook on October 13.

"Comfort women" refers to the forced prostitution of Korean and Chinese women by Japanese troops during World War II, while the Imjin War refers to the Japanese invasion of Korea in the 16th century.

The same picture with similar false claims was shared on Facebook here, here and here by accounts that bear the logo of the Raelian sect -- a group whose followers believe life on Earth was established by extra-terrestrials who arrived in flying saucers 25,000 years ago and cloned humans.

The sect's founder Claude Vorilhon has also made claims about Jackson, including a statement released after the US popstar's death in 2009 that he was alive "on the Elohim's Eternal-Life Planet" (archived link).

Comments in the posts indicate several users were misled...

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