▲ People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk tours the birthplace of the late First Lady Yuk Young-soo, wife of former President Park Chung-hee, in Okcheon, North Chungcheong Province, amid enthusiastic cheers from citizens on October 5.
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk visited the birthplace of the late First Lady Yuk Young-soo and continued his offensive against historical distortion, saying the film "The Assassin(s)," which depicts her fatal shooting, is "an attempt to deny the legitimacy of the Republic of Korea."
After visiting Yuk's birthplace in Okcheon County, North Chungcheong Province, and laying flowers, Jang stated, "Artistic imagination must halt before clear historical facts." He added, "Distorting historical facts by attaching unverified suspicions with malicious intent to the wounds of the deceased and the bereaved family goes beyond freedom of expression."
Jang continued, "The leftist camp has attempted to distort specific figures and specific events," criticizing, "Distorting some events while attempting to sanctify others is a foul intention to exploit even history for political purposes."
He added, "The leftist camp's attempts to slander and disparage former Presidents Syngman Rhee and Park Chung-hee are an attempt to deny even the founding and industrialization of the Republic of Korea, and 'The Assassin(s)' is a film that remains precisely at that level." He emphasized, "If such historical distortion is left unchecked, it will become a threat to liberal democracy.
We must clearly demonstrate on this occasion what disadvantages historical distortion brings about."
Addressing criticisms from the ruling party labeling the People Power Party's offensive as "movie-gagging," Jang countered, "If every historical fact and every artistic work must be left entirely to the judgment of the public, why did the Starbucks incident occur? Attempting to muzzle criticism against historical distortion is itself just another frame."
Accompanying Jang on the visit were National Assembly Vice Speaker Park Duk-hyum, whose constituency includes Okcheon County; Policy Committee Chair Lim I-ja; Secretary General Chung Hee-yong; Lawmaker Yoo Sang-bum; Chief of Staff to the Party Leader Park Jun-tae; Chief Political Affairs Officer to the Party Leader Kim Jang-kyom; Senior Spokespersons Park Sung-hoon and Park Choong-kwon; Supreme Council Member Cho Kwang-han; and former Daejeon Mayor Lee Jang-woo.
Vice Speaker Park urged the production and distribution companies, "The distorted perception of history left behind by a film transcends generations and remains in everyone's memory for a long time. Do not hide cowardly behind the phrase 'cinematic imagination,' but apologize to the bereaved family and the public who have suffered deep wounds from historical distortion, and halt screenings immediately."
Meanwhile, the People Power Party also plans to send a letter under the names of all its lawmakers to the Singapore International Film Festival requesting the withdrawal of "The Assassin(s)" as its opening film.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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