'Public anger growing over left camp's double standards'

'History is not mere material for box-office success'

People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok holds a press conference Monday at the birthplace of the late Yuk Young-soo, wife of former President Park Chung-hee, in Okcheon, North Chungcheong Province, denouncing the film "Assassin(s)" over its alleged historical distortions. [Yonhap]
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok holds a press conference Monday at the birthplace of the late Yuk Young-soo, wife of former President Park Chung-hee, in Okcheon, North Chungcheong Province, denouncing the film "Assassin(s)" over its alleged historical distortions. [Yonhap]

People Power Party lawmakers from Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province kept up their sharp criticism of the film "Assassin(s)" on Tuesday. "Those who distort the history of our people are trampling on our future, and they must face the consequences," they said.

The PPP lawmakers held a press conference at the National Assembly, saying they "strongly condemn the malicious and unconscionable historical distortion and disparagement of conservatives" in the film. They said public anger is growing over "the cunning historical distortion disguised as artistic imagination and creative freedom, and the hypocritical double standards of the left camp that shields it."

The lawmakers said the shooting of former first lady Yuk Young-soo demands a careful approach in any creative work. "This was an event that delivered an enormous shock to the public, who witnessed the shooting of the president's wife either in person or through live television broadcasts," they said. "Any creative work dealing with it is therefore held to a higher standard of historical responsibility and a more careful approach than ever."

They added that "history is not mere material for box-office success" and that "the honor of the deceased and the grief of the bereaved family are not tools for dramatic imagination."

The lawmakers also said freedom of expression has its limits. "Creative freedom and freedom of expression must be respected," they said, but drew a line, adding that "freedom of expression does not justify unlimited distortion of historical facts."

They went on to say that "particularly when a work is based on real individuals and actual events, there must be a minimum responsibility to clearly distinguish between creative imagination and historical fact."

The lawmakers also took aim at the distributor's release of promotional merchandise. "What is even more shocking is that the distributor and the screens designed goods evoking the stage and audience seating where the actual shooting took place, and produced and distributed 'bullet-hole tickets' incorporating traces of gunshots," they said. "With the victim's bereaved family still very much alive, turning bullet traces into merchandise is no longer in the realm of creative expression — it is no different from unconscionable and reckless conduct."

They also expressed concern over the film's selection as the opening entry at the Singapore International Film Festival. "If a film that unconscionably distorts South Korea's modern history, damages the honor of the bereaved family and insults our people is screened at an international film festival, we are gravely concerned that a distorted understanding of South Korea's history could spread throughout the international community," they said.

PPP lawmaker Kim Seung-su, speaking to reporters after the press conference, said "no matter how broad creative freedom may be, this historical distortion goes far too far." He added that "it is the view of many citizens that there must be a clear statement of position regarding the making of such an unconscionable film."

Fellow PPP lawmaker Lee In-seon also called for the film to stop screening, saying, "While the situation at home is divided along two camps, when viewed from abroad, perceptions of President Park Chung-hee held by our country could be completely distorted." She called it "an extremely important situation."


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