Call for Amendment to the Jeju April 3rd Special Act
"Party Reduced to Only Listening to Far-Right Voices"
People Power Party representative Jang Donghyuk is watching the movie The War of Establishment 2 at Lotte Cinema Yeongdeungpo in Seoul on the 7th. Photo by Yonhap News
The Jeju April 3rd National Committee and the Jeju April 3rd Memorial Project Committee condemned Jang Donghyuk, representative of the People Power Party, for insisting on watching "The War of Establishment 2."
On October 8, the Jeju April 3rd Memorial Project Committee and the Jeju April 3rd National Committee, which are composed of more than 50 civic groups in Jeju including the Jeju April 3rd Victims' Families Association, issued a statement condemning Representative Jang Donghyuk for watching a film that denigrates and distorts the April 3rd Uprising.
The organizations stated, "Representative Jang Donghyuk ignored the polite requests of the April 3rd victims' families and civic groups, and instead watched the movie with several People Power Party lawmakers and young members, followed by a discussion with the director. As the leader of a major political party, he should be attentive to public sentiment, but instead, during the Chuseok holiday, he has proven that the party is becoming one that only listens to far-right voices."
They continued, "During the discussion with the director, Representative Jang said, 'If various perspectives on history are not recognized, history can easily be distorted. I thank the director for bravely making this film.' Expressing gratitude for a film that glorifies figures such as Colonel Park Jinkyung, who led the oppression of Jeju residents during the April 3rd Uprising, is an act that kills the 30,000 victims of April 3rd a second time and reopens the wounds of more than 100,000 bereaved family members."
They also stressed the need to hold accountable those who denigrate history, urging the National Assembly to immediately pass the amendment to the Jeju April 3rd Special Act, which includes provisions for punishing the distortion of the April 3rd Uprising.
Previously, on the 7th, Representative Jang watched "The War of Establishment 2" with Secretary-General Jeong Heeyong, Head of Public Relations Seo Jiyeong, party officials, and young party members. "The War of Establishment 2" is an independent film depicting the ideological conflict between the left and right over the establishment of the government during the period of liberation from 1945 to 1950.
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