Some PPP Lawmakers Denounce Film 'Assassins' About Shooting of Former First Lady Yuk Young-soo as Historical Distortion
Some lawmakers of the People Power Party on Tuesday criticized the film "Assassins," which deals with the assassination attempt on former First Lady Yuk Young-soo, calling it "a historical distortion that cannot be justified by freedom of expression." The criticism stems from claims that the film's depiction of the incident differs from actual history.
"Assassins," directed by Hur Jin-ho and starring Yoo Hae-jin and Park Hae-il, is based on the 1974 attack on Yuk Young-soo. The film was released on the 23rd and drew attention after surpassing 1.56 million viewers by the 27th, just four days after its release.
PPP leader Jang Dong-hyuk criticized on Facebook on the 28th: "If you touch President Roh Moo-hyun, you face a string of lawsuits and criminal complaints. Is insulting President Park Chung-hee 'freedom of expression'?" He pointed out that "in 2002, when President Park Geun-hye visited North Korea, Kim Jong-il personally apologized for the assassination of Yuk Young-soo." He then took aim at President Lee Jae-myung, saying, "Since the topic has come up, let me introduce a good film: 'Asura,' released in 2016," adding, "Since it's 'cinematic imagination,' I'll say no more."
PPP Rep. Joo Jin-woo argued that the film distorts the assassination of Yuk Young-soo by portraying former President Park Chung-hee, rather than North Korea, as the mastermind, claiming it constitutes defamation of the dead and demanding strict punishment. PPP Rep. Yoo Young-ha on the 28th called the film "clear political propaganda" and claimed it distorts history.
Floor senior deputy leader Rep. Kim Mi-ae questioned whether a film that pursues a "hidden mastermind" through unverified hypotheses and imagination can be called "creative freedom." Citing former President Moon Jae-in as an example, she noted that "after watching the 2016 nuclear disaster film 'Pandora,' former President Moon shed tears and publicly stressed that 'we must become a denuclearized nation free of nuclear power plants,'" pointing to a case in which a creative work influenced real-world policy and public opinion.
