Prominent Korean Filmmakers Demand Impeachment of President Yoon Seok-yeol

A collective of 2,518 filmmakers, including renowned actors such as 강동원 (Gang Dong-won), 손예진 (Son Ye-jin), and director 봉준호 (Bong Joon-ho), have issued a statement calling for the impeachment and arrest of President 윤석열 (Yoon Seok-yeol). The statement, titled 'Remove and Arrest the 'Current Offender of Insurrection' Yoon Seok-yeol!', was released on December 7, following a live broadcast of the president's address earlier that day.

The declaration was initiated on December 5 and continued until midnight on December 6, gathering signatures from notable figures in the film industry, including actors 김고은 (Kim Go-eun), 박은빈 (Park Eun-bin), and 전도연 (Jeon Do-yeon). A total of 77 organizations, including the Korean Film Directors Association and the Korean Independent Film Association, also supported the statement.

The filmmakers criticized President Yoon's declaration of a state of emergency on December 3, describing it as illegal and unconstitutional. They expressed disbelief at the government's actions, stating, 'Is he out of his mind? Is this madness?' They emphasized that the most dangerous entity to the existence of South Korea is Yoon Seok-yeol himself, and that removing him from office is the most urgent task to protect the democratic republic.

The statement also highlighted concerns about the impact of the emergency declaration on South Korea's cultural and artistic sectors, predicting a decline in the country's image and a decrease in visitors. They noted that many embassies have issued warnings to their citizens about the risks of traveling to South Korea due to the ongoing situation.

The filmmakers concluded that if impeachment is the quickest route to resolution, it should be pursued, and they called for immediate action to halt Yoon's presidential duties and to arrest him for insurrection. The National Assembly is set to vote on the impeachment motion against President Yoon on December 7 at 5 PM.