The Film Industry Solidarity for Overcoming Crisis issued an emergency statement and raised its voice, saying, “President Yoon Seok-yeol, caught red-handed on charges of sedition, must be impeached and arrested.”

The filmmakers said, “Something that is completely incomprehensible with humanistic common sense and something that would remain a delusion no matter how much cinematic imagination is used has happened in reality. ‘The most dangerous being to the existence of the Republic of Korea is Yoon Seok-yeol, and having him step down from the presidency is the most urgent task for protecting the democratic republic.’”

He continued, “The first prerequisite to overcoming the current chaotic situation and the fallen status of the Republic of Korea is to suspend Yoon Seok-yeol from his duties as president,” and “If impeachment is the fastest way, then we should choose impeachment, and if there is another way to remove him from office, then we should find the fastest way. Yoon Seok-yeol, who was revealed to the world through a live broadcast to be a criminal caught in the act of sedition, is no longer the president. He is merely a criminal caught in the act of sedition. Yoon Seok-yeol must be quickly suspended from his duties as president, and he must be removed and arrested.”

Meanwhile, President Yoon Seok-yeol stood before the nation through a national address at 10 a.m. that day. President Yoon stated, “I declared martial law at 11 p.m. on December 3. About two hours later, at around 1:00 AM on December 4, in accordance with the National Assembly’s resolution to lift martial law, the military’s withdrawal was ordered and martial law was lifted after a late-night Cabinet meeting,” he said.

He continued, “This declaration of martial law was a result of my desperation as the president, who is ultimately responsible for state affairs. However, in the process, I have caused anxiety and inconvenience to the people. I am deeply sorry, and I sincerely apologize to the people who must have been very surprised.”

President Yoon then said, “I will not avoid the issue of legal and political responsibility regarding this declaration of martial law. Dear citizens, there is talk that martial law will be declared again, but I want to make it clear. There will never be a second martial law. Dear citizens, I will leave the plan for stabilizing the political situation going forward, including during my term, to our party. The party stated its position, saying, “From now on, our party and the government will take responsibility for running the country together.”
● Below is the full text of the Filmmakers’ Solidarity emergency statement

It has been two days since the incumbent president declared martial law at 10:22 PM on December 3, and the National Assembly voted to lift the martial law 2 hours and 30 minutes later. An illegal and unconstitutional declaration of martial law, a martial law declaration reminiscent of military dictatorship, the lifting of martial law announced three hours after the National Assembly‘s resolution under the premise that the quorum for the State Council was not met, and a series of events that make one question whether the executive branch system is functioning properly, on December 4, there were a series of absurd reports that Yoon Seok-yeol’s declaration of martial law was intended to send a warning message to the opposition party.

‘Are you in your right mind?’, ‘Are you crazy?’

That was the first reaction of the majority of the people who witnessed the declaration of martial law.

Moviemakers are no different. Something that is completely incomprehensible with common sense, something that can only be considered a delusion no matter how much cinematic imagination is used, has happened in reality. If you are a citizen with common sense, the following conclusion would be natural before making a legal judgment. ‘The most dangerous person to the existence of the Republic of Korea is Yoon Seok-yeol, and having him step down from the office of president is the most urgent task for protecting the democratic republic.’.

The majority of embassies that have already established diplomatic relations with the Republic of Korea are warning their citizens who are staying or visiting the Republic of Korea of the ‘danger’, and they are maintaining the danger warning despite the lifting of martial law. This is because the danger factor of Yoon Seok-yeol has not been resolved.

The status of the Korean Wave, which was busy promoting it as if it were the achievements of the regime, has fallen into the abyss. Overseas media, which had pointed out that the growth of democracy and freedom of expression in the Republic of Korea were the biggest foundations for the growth of the cultural and artistic sectors, are reporting every day, predicting a decline in the image of the Republic of Korea and a decrease in visitors. There are also continued concerns about the safety of their favorite South Korean ‘artists’, and there are also successive reports from South Korean citizens who have been denied foreign currency exchange.

In addition to the Martial Law Command‘s actions of trampling on the National Assembly, a constitutional institution, dispatching martial law troops to the Central Election Management Committee, an independent constitutional institution, and a number of media outlets, and ‘punishing unreturned military doctors’, what has angered filmmakers is the restrictions on basic human rights, including Article 3 of the Martial Law Command’s proclamation that ‘All press and publication are subject to the control of the Martial Law Command’.

The Constitution of the Republic of Korea does not explicitly use the expression ‘freedom of expression’, but freedom of conscience, freedom of the press and the press, freedom of assembly and association, and freedom of academia and the arts are collectively referred to as ‘freedom of expression’. In other words, Yoon Seok-yeol ‘full implementation of the unconstitutional blacklist’ in the middle of the night. We only heard reports that the current Ministry of Justice inspector general resigned immediately, saying ‘I cannot accept martial law’, and that no current cabinet member expressed his intention to resign, but there is no evidence that he acted to protect the people‘s right to life against the illegal martial law. The operating principle of the blacklist, which says that soulless work was carried out by orders and orders, and the plausible excuses were clearly false.

During the previous Yoon Seok-yeol presidency, our film industry pointed out the inconvenient and unfair aspects of the government’s one-way film budget. The budget compilation plans of the Korean Film Council and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which are authorities specified in the law, were stranded due to Yoon Seok-yeol‘s one-way tyranny. If the opposition party’s attempt to impeach cabinet members and the processing of the budget plan are grounds for martial law, then the anti-state force is Yoon Seok-yeol himself. If you are a public official with a conscience, ask yourself! Since democracy took hold, has there ever been someone who has reigned over the Ministry of Strategy and Finance and all government agencies as much as Yoon Seok-yeol and organized the budget as he pleased?

The first prerequisite for overcoming the current chaotic situation and the fallen status of the Republic of Korea is to suspend Yoon Seok-yeol from performing his duties as president.

If impeachment is the fastest way, then we should choose impeachment, and if there is another way to remove him, then we should find the fastest way. The arrest and conviction of Yoon Seok-yeol and the martial law forces, including the Minister of National Defense, who were revealed to the world through a live broadcast to be criminals of sedition, is an obvious and non-negotiable procedure.

I warn the People Power Party lawmakers who are obsessed with political engineering to reestablish the regime.

The only way for the Republic of Korea to survive is to immediately suspend Yoon Seok-yeol, who is the number one risk factor and the ringleader of sedition in the Republic of Korea, who is beyond common sense and uncontrollable, from his duties as president. It is up to the people to decide who to entrust with power. Choose for yourself whether you will go down in history as an accomplice in the rebellion or as a politician who prioritizes the lives and safety of the people.

To the filmmakers of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Seok-yeol is no longer the president. He is merely a criminal caught in the act of rebellion.

Quickly suspend Yoon Seok-yeol from his duties as president, and dismiss and arrest him!

December 5, 2024
Filmmakers demanding Yoon Seok-yeol‘s resignationLee Seul-bi, Donga.com reporter misty82@donga.com