Minister Choi Hwi-young on ‘Assassin(s)’ controversy: “It’s for the audience to judge” [2026 parliamentary audit]

[Financial News] The historical distortion controversy surrounding the film ‘Assassin(s)’ has emerged as a key issue in the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s parliamentary audit. Minister Choi Hwi-young said that it is up to the audience to judge the film, emphasizing creative freedom and the need to protect its actors. He also said the government had not intervened in the decision to invest in the film.
During the National Assembly’s audit of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee on the 7th, Minister Choi said, “I believe there should be no restrictions on imagination and creativity,” in response to People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Yong-geun’s question about whether there should be limits on turning historical events into films.
‘Assassin(s)’ is a film that traces those behind the shooting of Yuk Young-soo at a 1974 Liberation Day commemoration. Controversy over historical distortion arose after its release over its reconstruction of the incident.
Yoon pressed Choi on whether content linking a tragic historical event to the possibility of a plot within the power structure could be accepted on the basis of cinematic imagination alone.
Minister Choi replied, “I don’t think it’s for me to judge; I think it’s for the public and the audience to judge,” adding that anyone who feels they have suffered serious defamation through the film should follow the legal procedures available to them.
He also stressed, “In our country, where freedom of expression is guaranteed and prior censorship is strictly prohibited, the government does not intervene in the content of creative works at all.”
This was understood as an effort to address the evaluation of the film separately from remedies for rights violations and the protection of creators. The questions also turned to whether the government’s response to protecting the actors was appropriate, beyond the film’s content.
Earlier, some conservative groups held a rally outside the home of actor Yoo Hae-jin, who appears in the film, demanding an apology. Minister Choi said he had asked the relevant authorities on social media (SNS) on the 5th to take safety measures for the film’s personnel and actors and to strictly enforce the law against illegal acts such as threats and intimidation.
When Yoon criticized this response on SNS, Minister Choi retorted, “If the culture minister doesn’t step in against acts that inflict harm on creative works, who will?”
He went on to explain, “My post on SNS was intended to express concern about a situation in which evaluations of a film lead to threats to the personal safety of individuals in the cultural and arts community,” and said he had devised preventive and safety measures to keep the situation from escalating.
He did not offer his personal opinion of the film in response to Democratic Party lawmaker Lim O-kyung’s questions. However, he agreed with Lim that creative and expressive freedom should face no restrictions and should not be subjected to partisan logic.
Regarding allegations that ruling-party lawmakers had intervened in the film’s investment, Minister Choi explained that the investment came from a sub-fund established under the previous administration. He added, “The fund managers assess returns and make investment decisions themselves; the government does not intervene at all.”
That day, People Power Party lawmakers also requested that members of the production team, including director Heo Jin-ho, appear as witnesses or other persons providing testimony, but the request was blocked by opposition from committee chair Lee Jae-jeong and ruling-party lawmakers.
[email protected] Jang In-seo Reporter