[COVER STORY] 'The Assassin(s)' producers face defamation probe over depiction of 1974 first lady assassination
Director Hur Jin-ho's historical thriller "The Assassin(s)" became the top draw over this year's Chuseok holiday, but the movie is facing a growing political dispute and defamation investigation over its depiction of the 1974 shooting that killed then-first lady Yuk Young-soo. The controversy has spilled into Korea's already deep ideological divide, with conservatives accusing the film of…
![[COVER STORY] 'The Assassin(s)' producers face defamation probe over depiction of 1974 first lady assassination](/img/10636899)
The makers of South Korean historical thriller "The Assassin(s)" are facing a defamation investigation over their portrayal of the 1974 assassination of then-first lady Yuk Young-soo. The controversy has intensified the country's political divisions, with conservatives criticizing the film for allegedly misrepresenting history and liberals defending it as fiction.
On Tuesday, a former city councilor from the main opposition People Power Party filed a police complaint against the film's director and producers. The complaint alleges that the movie spreads false information and distorts history by suggesting that President Park Chung-hee, who seized power in 1961 through a military coup, was involved in his wife's assassination.
The film is based on the August 15, 1974, shooting in which North Korea-linked Korean resident Mun Se-gwang attempted to assassinate Park.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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