Filmmaker Bong Joon-ho delivers a statement during a press conference at the Press Center in Seoul, Jan. 12, addressing cultural and artistic demands following the death of actor Lee Sun-kyun. Korea Times file

Director Bong Joon Ho, actor Moon So-ri and 2,518 other members of Korea's film community have issued a statement calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol's suspension from office, impeachment and arrest.

The statement, titled "Remove and Arrest Yoon Suk Yeol, Perpetrator of Rebellion," was released Saturday by 77 film organizations, including the Directors Guild of Korea and the Producers Guild of Korea.

Actors such as Kim Go-eun, Park Eun-bin, and Jun Ji-hyun also signed the statement.

The filmmakers said halting Yoon's presidential powers is the first step to addressing the current chaos and restoring Korea's global reputation.

"For the film industry, Yoon Suk Yeol is no longer a president but a perpetrator of rebellion," the statement said. "We demand his immediate suspension, impeachment and arrest."

The call for action came in the wake of Yoon's controversial declaration of martial law on Tuesday, which was overturned by the National Assembly just two and a half hours later. The filmmakers criticized the declaration as illegal and unconstitutional, likening it to the era of military dictatorship.

They highlighted reports that the martial law was intended as a warning to opposition parties, describing the situation as a breakdown of governmental systems.

"This is a scenario that defies even the most imaginative film plots," they said. "The greatest threat to the Republic of Korea's existence is Yoon Suk Yeol. Removing him from office is an urgent task to safeguard our democratic republic."

The filmmakers also lamented the decline of Korea's global cultural reputation. "The once-celebrated Korean Wave has plummeted under this administration," they said.

Protesters fill the streets during a candlelight march in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Saturday, hours before the Assembly is set to vote on a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol. Yonhap

They further criticized the government's cultural policies, alleging that budgets for the Korean Film Council and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism have been derailed by unilateral decisions from the president.

The filmmakers emphasized the need for swift action, whether through impeachment or other measures to remove the president from office.

The statement was open for signatures from 5 p.m. Thursday until 11:59 p.m. Friday.

Notable signatories include Bong Joon Ho, actor Moon So-ri and other prominent figures such as directors Jeong Ji-young, Byun Young-joo, Yang Ik-june, Jang Joon-hwan, Jo Sung-hee, Cho Hyun-chul, Oh Jung-min and Lim Sun-ae.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.