People Power Party Calls for Withdrawal of Film 'The Assassins' Screening
The People Power Party (PPP) decided on the 4th to send a letter, signed by all of its lawmakers, requesting the withdrawal of the film 'The Assassins,' which deals with the 1974 attack on former First Lady Yuk Young-soo, as the opening film of the Singapore International Film Festival. PPP chief spokesperson Choi Bo-yoon explained, "As many people have voluntarily joined in raising their voices, we gathered opinions and decided to proceed with sending the letter from within the National Assembly." Rep. Ju Jin-woo said at the National Assembly that day, "Screening this film internationally when the majority of the public finds it deeply uncomfortable is a national disgrace," adding, "We will request its withdrawal from other international film festivals as well, including ones in Brazil and Toronto, Canada."
The PPP has claimed the Lee Jae-myung government was involved in the film's production, citing indirect investments by the Industrial Bank of Korea and Korea Development Bank, and has even raised suspicions of vote manipulation over the film's ratings. The party is reportedly also considering legal options, including defamation suits or an injunction to ban the screening. PPP leader Jang Dong-hyuk, visiting the former birthplace of Yuk Young-soo in Okcheon, North Chungcheong Province, on the 5th alongside National Assembly Vice Speaker Park Deok-heum and other party leadership to lay flowers and pay silent tribute, expressed his determination to continue the offensive, saying, "Artistic imagination must come to a halt in the face of clear historical fact."
Some 50 members of conservative groups, including the New Liberal Alliance and Bella Do, held a protest rally on the 4th in front of the Seoul home of actor Yu Hae-jin in Seongbuk District, demanding the halt of the film's screening, a public apology, and guarantees against recurrence. They also launched a boycott against Burger King and Kiwoom Securities, where Yu works as an advertising model.
Democratic Party floor spokesperson Jeon Eun-su said in a written briefing, "The moment politicians step directly into culture and the arts to decide what to show and what not to show, that is censorship," asking, "Is the PPP a 'censoring party' that meddles even in whether films screen at international festivals?" Cho Kuk, head of the Rebuilding Korea Party's Innovation Policy Research Institute, wrote on Facebook, "This is a culture war waged by far-right forces," calling for "the full disclosure of all related materials held by state institutions, including the warhead from the attack on Lady Yuk, reportedly collected and kept by the Central Intelligence Agency at the time."
The Korean Film Directors' Guild issued a statement on the 4th, saying, "This is not criticism or censure of the film, but an attack that crosses the line into personal matters," adding, "Creators can be criticized for their work, but that criticism must not escalate in a way that destroys the individual creator's life and livelihood." Earlier, the Korean Film Producers Association and the Korean Film Producers' Guild also voiced concern, saying political attacks had reached a level that threatened the safety of the artists involved.
Amid these responses from political circles and groups, 'The Assassins' surpassed 2 million admissions on the 3rd, its 11th day in theaters.
