Lee Jae-jung: Critics of 'Assassins' Disrespect Park Chung-hee

Lee Jae-jung, chair of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee and a member of the Democratic Party, stated that those criticizing the film 'Assassins' are, in fact, disrespecting former President Park Chung-hee.

In a Facebook post on October 5, Lee asserted, "It is not the film that distorts history, but the political sphere that distorts the film." He urged lawmakers who plan to question or comment on the film to watch it first, saying, "Citizens are also going to theaters to make their own judgments. If you join this criticism without having seen the film, you will later feel ashamed of yourself."

Lee further claimed, "This film does not even entertain the possibility of Park's involvement within the realm of cinematic imagination. Even as someone who maintains a critical stance toward President Park, I found it impossible to imagine such involvement while watching the film, given my memories and feelings about the affection and family relationships of President Park's family."

He added, "If after watching this film you still think of 'the possibility of Park's involvement,' and claim that the director intended this, then one of two things is true: either you have a distorted perception and emotion regarding President Park's family relationships, or the director has failed to properly convey his intentions in a poorly executed film. It is clear that neither is the case."

Lee also challenged critics, saying, "Be honest. Is there not something in the film that you dislike or find uncomfortable? Is it not the long dictatorship symbolized by the emergency measures of the Park Chung-hee regime, the harms of the Central Intelligence Agency, media suppression, and the hidden aspects of the 1965 Korea-Japan Agreement that you are uncomfortable with? Is this not why you are distorting the film with logic that disrespects President Park?"

In response to the People Power Party's letter demanding the Singapore International Film Festival halt screenings of the film, Lee criticized, "Let’s stop embarrassing ourselves in the international community. Those who receive that document will think of the 2024 martial law."

'Assassins,' which premiered on September 23, focuses on the attempted assassination of President Park Chung-hee in 1974 and the assassination of First Lady Yuk Young-soo. The film sparked controversy over historical distortion due to scenes suggesting the involvement of the Central Intelligence Agency based on diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan at the time.