Seoul:The culture minister has defended creative freedom in response to controversy surrounding the Korean film "The Assassin(s)," which has been accused of historical inaccuracies.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Chae Hwi-young addressed the issue during a parliamentary audit. He emphasized that the government should not interfere in artistic content, stating that imagination and creative work should remain unrestricted.

The film portrays a 1974 assassination attempt on then South Korean President Park Chung-hee, leading to the death of the first lady. It has faced criticism, mainly from conservatives, for suggesting involvement by Park and the state intelligence agency, contrary to the established account blaming assassin Moon Se-kwang.

Minister Chae reiterated that in South Korea, where freedom of expression is protected and prior censorship is prohibited, the government does not intervene in creative content. He refrained from stating whether the film distorted history, suggesting that such judgments should be left to the public.

Chae also defended his social media post condemning protests outside the homes of cast members, including actor Yoo Hae-jin, and attempts to disrupt promotional activities. He urged the police to act against illegal protest actions, noting that criticism is permitted, but personal threats undermine democracy.

Efforts by the opposition People Power Party to summon the film's director, Hur Jin-ho, and other production team members as witnesses were blocked by ruling Democratic Party lawmakers during the audit.