Joo Jin-woo Takes Direct Aim at the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK): "You Lashed Out at Starbucks and Paichai High School—So Why Stay Silent About 'Assassin(s)'?"

[Financial News] As the film 'Assassin(s),' based on the shooting of the late First Lady Yuk Young-soo, was reported to police for allegedly distorting history, People Power Party lawmaker Joo Jin-woo sharply criticized President Lee Jae Myung and the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), saying, "Why do you react angrily and punish Starbucks over an advertisement and Paichai High School over its show of support, yet remain silent and shield this morally reprehensible film?"
On the 29th, Joo posted an article on Facebook titled 'The DPK Encouraging Hopes for a Blockbuster Run for the Morally Reprehensible Film Assassin(s).'
He lambasted Park Ji-won, saying, "Lawmaker Park Ji-won promoted watching the morally reprehensible film Assassin(s) and wished it success. That is something no decent human being could do."
He continued, "Lawmaker Park urged Professor Lee Byung-tae, who described Paichai High School students' show of support as 'freedom of expression,' to disappear. I am returning those words to him verbatim."
Joo argued, "Starbucks was even subjected to a search and seizure over the expression 'Tank Day.' The production company behind the morally reprehensible film Assassin(s) should likewise be subjected to a search and seizure immediately."
He added, "Why are Lee Jae Myung and the DPK reacting angrily and taking punitive action over a Starbucks advertisement and Paichai High School's show of support while remaining silent about and shielding this morally reprehensible film? The film publicly mocked the family's death even though the bereaved family is still alive. The screening must be halted, criminal liability must be pursued, and the illegal profits generated through historical distortion must also be recovered."
Joo had also claimed on Facebook on the 27th, "'Assassin(s)' distorted the incident to make it seem that former President Park Chung Hee, rather than North Korea, was behind the assassination of First Lady Yuk Young-soo. That is an act that outrages humanity." The controversy spread into political circles as People Power Party lawmaker Na Kyung-won, Yoo Young-ha, a People Power Party lawmaker and aide to former President Park Geun-hye, and independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon also came forward to criticize the film.
Meanwhile, the film 'Assassin(s)' is based on the real-life incident of August 15, 1974, when Mun Se-gwang, a second-generation Korean resident of Japan, fired a gun in an attempt to assassinate President Park Chung Hee, killing First Lady Yuk Young-soo. The film became controversial for implying a conclusion different from the government's official announcement that First Lady Yuk was killed by bullets fired by Mun Se-gwang.
As the controversy over historical distortion spread, the production team stated the previous day, on the 28th, "'Assassin(s)' is a dramatic feature film reconstructed by adding cinematic imagination to various records related to the 1974 historical event, which served as its motif."
The team continued, "The film does not identify any specific person as being behind the incident, nor does it present the hypotheses and dramatic settings in the film as historical fact. It was not made to establish a new specific historical conclusion or to deny or distort existing facts."
However, the controversy did not subside. Lee Jong-bae, a former Seoul city council member from the People Power Party, filed a complaint that day with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency against director Hur Jin-ho and the production team on charges of defamation through the publication of false information under the Criminal Act.
[email protected] Kim Su-yeon Reporter