Kim Yo-jong Succeeding Kim Jong-un? "Makes No Sense"—Experts Weigh in on War Game Controversy

As controversy surrounds the release of the video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on October 23, SBS's News Hunters invited an expert to analyze the issue.

Call of Duty is a war game franchise launched in 2003, and this new installment is set against the backdrop of an all-out war on the Korean Peninsula triggered by a surprise invasion from North Korea.

While some argue that turning an inter-Korean war into entertainment crosses the line into excessive commercialization by a foreign game company, others maintain that it falls under creative freedom and can even serve as a reminder of the dangers of war.

First, regarding game characters reminiscent of State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un and Deputy Department Director Kim Yo-jong, the expert explained that they differ significantly from the real North Korea.

[Cho Han-bum, Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification: It makes no sense at all. Kim Yo-jong's title is general affairs department director. And she used to be in the Propaganda and Agitation Department. She has nothing to do with the military. To become a leader in North Korea, one must first become the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army. Kim Yo-jong has no military-related track record. The very premise that she could be involved is impossible. It makes no sense. Beyond that, there is nothing more to discuss.]

The expert also stated that the pattern of war depicted in the game is detached from reality.

[Cho Han-bum, Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification: The war scenario itself doesn't make sense because a war wouldn't involve street combat like that, entering villages to root out traitors. Unfortunately, North Korea's military doctrine prioritizes nuclear weapons. They have a doctrine of using nuclear weapons first. It's not street combat like that, but rather the possibility of a large-scale clash. That is the possibility, whereas the game shows squad-level combat, small-unit combat situations. So it's geared toward entertainment. Geared toward entertainment.]

Reporters who played the game firsthand evaluated that it falls short of being usable as ideological education materials for troops.

[Choi Seung-hoon, Reporter: Troops cannot enter convenience stores fully armed. That definitely felt awkward, and another slightly strange thing was that U.S. forces were sitting the Republic of Korea Marine Corps down and giving them commands. Issuing orders and saying, "Let's go together."]br />
The expert emphasized that a clear distinction must be made between the portrayal of North Korea in the game and the actual threats posed by North Korea.

[Cho Han-bum, Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification: Tensions have escalated due to North Korea's hostile two-state theory. Excluding nuclear weapons, North Korea actually lacks the capability to wage an all-out war. And the idea that they would suddenly come sweeping down—we know all the warning signs. There is no possibility of a war breaking out suddenly. However, due to North Korea's hostile two-state theory, the 2-kilometer Demilitarized Zone has been neutralized, effectively forward-deployed, and as we know, our soldiers have already made sacrifices in landmine explosion accidents. The possibility of accidental clashes, and failing to manage those accidental clashes leading to further escalation—this possibility has certainly increased. Therefore, this can be seen as a time when we must guard against both excessive alarmism and, at the same time, overly complacent attitudes.]

However, criticism appears unavoidable regarding the use of news footage from the Itaewon crowd crush in the game's intro.

[Choi Seung-hoon, Reporter: In the opening intro scene, news footage is edited together as if directing a movie, and footage from the Itaewon crowd crush appears for about 3 seconds. When I directly inquired with the development company, they explained that actual news footage was used to convey a fictional story, and that they had absolutely no intention of taking tragic events, including the Itaewon disaster, lightly. For citizens and bereaved families who have suffered, because it is a day that inevitably brings those wounds back to the surface, it seems difficult to avoid criticism that it was inappropriate.]

(Produced by Lee Se-young | Video by Seo Byeong-wook | Source Footage: News Hunters | Produced by SBS Digital News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.