Jeong Cheong-rae "Prosecutor's sword dance, prosecution dictatorship... Yoon must see 'Seoul's Spring'"

"Hanahoe Coup Scene Overlaps with Prosecutor's Special Investigation Unit"
"Cruel History Unfolding" Opposition Criticizes Government

The film 'Seoul Spring,' based on the December 12 military coup, recently surpassed 2 million viewers, drawing continued attention from the political sphere.

Jeong Cheong-rae, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party of Korea, said at the Supreme Council meeting held the day before that he watched the film and made remarks comparing the current administration to military dictatorship.

Jeong Cheong-rae, Supreme Council Member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking about the new logo of the Presidential Office and the logo of the prosecution at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 24th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Jeong said, "I vividly saw how the military, which is supposed to protect the country, fired guns at the nation and ravaged it," adding, "History is a continuous dialogue between the past and the present."

He continued, "I see prosecutors wearing the clothes of prosecutors instead of military uniforms, wielding the prosecutor's sword dance disguised as legality instead of guns and knives. Not only the military dictatorship but also the current prosecutorial dictatorship has only changed in appearance and form. Could it be that the blood of dictatorship and dictatorial ideas, which regard the people as beings that can be crushed by tanks anytime, continue in dark places or sometimes blatantly like chains of evil?"

He then said, "I hope you experience the vivid scenes of the past and present in Seoul Spring. It is a film that the entire nation should watch. Especially, I hope officials of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration and the People Power Party watch it at least once."

Kim Yong-min, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, also wrote on social media, "If the ruling party wins the general election next year, President Yoon Seok-yeol will declare martial law," and added, "The Democratic Party must use a strategy to secure at least a single-party majority to establish a 'martial law prevention line.'"

Min Hyung-bae appeared on the YouTube channel 'Saenal' and said, "If we do not talk about impeachment as stipulated by the constitution, it is rather neglect of duty," and argued for the impeachment of President Yoon, saying, "We must break his 'balmokttaegi' (a dialect word for ankle)."

Kim Nam-guk, an independent lawmaker formerly of the Democratic Party, also wrote on social media, "The special prosecution division that the Hanahoe instigated the coup overlaps. A much more brutal history continues in 2023."

'Seoul's Spring' still image
[Photo by Plus M Entertainment]

Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk also wrote, "On Sunday morning, I watched 'Seoul Spring' with my son. Even though it is a true story whose beginning and end are known, I could not relax for a moment." Director Jung Yoon-chul of 'Marathon' (2005) wrote, "In what is called the crisis of Korean cinema, I think this is a very timely return," adding, "How will you live? This film is asking that question now."

The film 'Seoul Spring,' released on the 22nd, is based on the December 12 military coup led by Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo, and the Hanahoe, a private military group within the military. It depicts the tense nine hours on December 12, 1979, in Seoul, the capital, when the new military forces staged a coup. It has been on a box office run, surpassing 2 million cumulative viewers within six days of release.

Directed by Kim Sung-soo, who also directed films such as 'Beat' (1997), 'Flu' (2013), and 'Asura' (2016). Actor Hwang Jung-min plays Jeon Doo-gwang, a key figure of the new military forces inspired by Chun Doo-hwan, and Jung Woo-sung portrays Lee Tae-shin, the Capital Security Commandant. Park Hae-joon plays Roh Tae-geon, inspired by Roh Tae-woo. Lee Sung-min and Kim Sung-kyun also appear.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.