Film director pleads for 'rat painter'
Published on | Source
By Kim Tae-jong
Internationally-renowned movie director Lee Chang-dong filed a petition, Monday, asking the courts for a favorable verdict on a university instructor who was charged with drawing rats on G20 Seoul Summit promotion posters.
The instructor, surnamed Park, was indicted along with four students for damaging public property by drawing a rat using spray paint on 22 posters near the Lotte Department Store in central Seoul, and uploading the pictures of the posters onto the Internet. Liberals and many netizens have often used the image of a rat to mock President Lee Myung-bak.
"I've decided to submit the petition as I believe the ruling will be a barometer of the freedom of expression in our society, related to important issues such as tolerance and understanding about satire and criticism in artistic ways", Lee said in the petition.
Prosecutors argued the accused were trying to tarnish the nation's image in hosting the G20 event.
The prosecution indicted them, despite criticism that it was misusing its authority for political purposes.
Lee, who won the best screenplay award at Cannes last year, said punishment against them will be "a serious threat to the artistic creativity, democracy in our society and the freedom of expression".
Other figures in the cultural field such as director Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon-ho are supporting Lee's move ahead of a ruling scheduled for May 13.
Internationally-renowned movie director Lee Chang-dong filed a petition, Monday, asking the courts for a favorable verdict on a university instructor who was charged with drawing rats on G20 Seoul Summit promotion posters.
The instructor, surnamed Park, was indicted along with four students for damaging public property by drawing a rat using spray paint on 22 posters near the Lotte Department Store in central Seoul, and uploading the pictures of the posters onto the Internet. Liberals and many netizens have often used the image of a rat to mock President Lee Myung-bak.
"I've decided to submit the petition as I believe the ruling will be a barometer of the freedom of expression in our society, related to important issues such as tolerance and understanding about satire and criticism in artistic ways", Lee said in the petition.
Prosecutors argued the accused were trying to tarnish the nation's image in hosting the G20 event.
The prosecution indicted them, despite criticism that it was misusing its authority for political purposes.
Lee, who won the best screenplay award at Cannes last year, said punishment against them will be "a serious threat to the artistic creativity, democracy in our society and the freedom of expression".
Other figures in the cultural field such as director Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon-ho are supporting Lee's move ahead of a ruling scheduled for May 13.
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