Kwon Hae-hyo/News 1
Filmmakers, including documentary director Kim Ji-woon, who contacted members of the anti-state organization ‘General Association of Koreans in Japan (Chongryon)’ without prior notification to government authorities during the film production process, were investigated by the Ministry of Unification.
On the 12th, the Ministry of Unification sent an official letter to director Kim Ji-woon, who produced the film ‘Discrimination’, which deals with discrimination against ethnic Koreans in Japan, requesting an explanation as to why he did not submit a report despite contacting personnel from a Korean school run by Chongryon in Japan last month. An official letter from the Ministry of Unification with the same content was sent to ‘People with Joseon Schools’ (Mongdang Pencil), which is headed by producer Jo Eun-seong, who created the movie ‘I am a Joseon person’, and filmmaker Kwon Hae-hyo.
Article 1 of the Chongryon doctrine / Chosun Ilbo DB
Chongryon, founded in 1955, is an outside organization of North Korea’s Workers’ Party of Korea and serves as North Korea’s representative office in Japan. In 1970, the Supreme Court ruled that Chongryon was an “anti-state organization that denies the Republic of Korea and supports and praises North Korea.” According to the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act (Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act), in order to contact people from Chongryon, you must report your plan to contact North Korea in advance to the Ministry of Unification. If you come into contact unexpectedly, you must report it afterwards.
Regarding the background behind the start of the investigation, an official from the Ministry of Unification said, “During this year’s government audit, the failure of the two film production crews to report prior contact was pointed out, so we were able to determine whether there was a violation of the law.” He added, “Mongdang Pencil posted on its website that it visited and exchanged with Joseon schools.” “The facts are public, but we are aware that prior contact was not reported, so we are investigating the circumstances,” he said.
The Ministry of Unification has stated its stance on strict application of the law in order to correct the somewhat loose application of the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act during past contacts with North Korean residents. In order to establish an orderly and sustainable exchange and cooperation system, the government is also seeking to revise laws and regulations to strengthen sanctions in accordance with legal provisions, breaking away from the past practice of selectively viewing violations of related laws.
Previously, the Ministry of Unification was in the process of imposing a fine for violating the reporting obligation on Rep. Yoon Mi-hyang, who attended the Chongryon event without reporting contact.
