Debate Over "Assassin(s)" from the Start... Opposition: "Summon the Director," Ruling Party: "Freedom of Creation"

The National Assembly's audit of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism opened with a dispute over the film "Assassins." The People Power Party called it a "distortion of history" and demanded that director Hur Jin-ho and others be selected as witnesses. The Democratic Party of Korea said it was "for audiences to judge" and that "it is inappropriate to summon creators to the National Assembly and question them."

On the morning of October 7, the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee held an audit of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism at the National Assembly. Even before Minister Choi Hwi-young began his report on the ministry's work, the ruling and opposition parties clashed over the selection of witnesses, trading procedural remarks about "Assassins."

Yonhap News Agency

The People Power Party called for director Hur, the production company CEO, and the screenwriter to be selected as witnesses or reference witnesses. People Power Party lawmaker Cho Eun-hee said, "May 18, the Sewol ferry disaster, and former President Roh Moo-hyun are all off limits, so why should former first lady Yuk Young-soo be treated differently?" She added, "We must also consider the pain and wounds suffered by the victims' families."

The Democratic Party of Korea countered by invoking "freedom of artistic expression." Democratic Party lawmaker Roh Jong-myeon said, "This is the kind of matter that could lead people to say the National Assembly is undermining its own standing. The National Assembly has a duty to address social controversies, but it is right to exercise restraint, at least when it comes to culture and creative works."

Lawmakers also offered differing opinions on the same film. People Power Party lawmaker Kim Seok-ki said, "I watched it too, and there are so many lies in the film." Democratic Party lawmaker Choi Min-hee, however, said, "After watching it myself, I found nothing in it that identifies the perpetrator of the tragic incident, the assassination of Yuk Young-soo," calling the criticism "groundless."

The dispute over "Assassins" continued during the main question session. People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Yong-geun asked Minister Choi, "Do you believe the public can accept a depiction of this tragic history that links it to the possibility of a plot by people inside the government?" and "Is the dramatization of historical events an area in which creative freedom is guaranteed without limits?"

In response, Minister Choi said, "This is a matter for the public and audiences to judge. If anyone feels that this film has seriously defamed them, they should respond through legal procedures," adding, "I believe there should be no restrictions on imagination and creativity."

People Power Party lawmaker Kim Seok-ki also asked how the minister would respond to similar attempts involving the death of former President Roh Moo-hyun and the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement. Minister Choi replied, "Freedom of expression is constitutionally guaranteed in Korea, and prior censorship is strictly prohibited," adding, "The government does not interfere in the content of creative works in any way."

The ruling party also argued that rumors surrounding "Assassins" were untrue. Choi said, "People say it copied the North Korean film 'Nation and Destiny,' but that film categorically distorts the facts, whereas 'Assassins' does not. It is also untrue that Chinese capital was invested in the film."

Regarding claims that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un apologized to former President Park Geun-hye for the incident, Choi said, "What is written in former President Park Geun-hye's autobiography is that Kim Jong Il apologized for the January 21 Incident in 1968," adding, "I cannot understand why people are distorting this."

Concerns were also raised about threats that have recently been directed online at actors appearing in "Assassins." Asked whether the minister would respond to such threats under the Artists' Welfare Act, Minister Choi said, "I will respond in accordance with the procedures prescribed by law."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.