S Korean torture film raises ghost of military past

A film based on the memoir of a democracy activist who was tortured in the 1980s by South Korea’s military rulers is provoking discussion about the country’s not-so-distant authoritative past and the influence it will have on this year’s presidential election.

“National Security”, which premieres on Saturday at the Busan International Film Festival, tells the story of Kim Geun-tae, who endured 22 days of torture in a notorious Seoul interrogation room because of alleged links to North Korea and a plot to overthrow South Korea’s military regime.

It is due for nationwide release in November, just a month before the country votes in a presidential race being contested by Park Geun-hye, the daughter of military dictator Park Chung-hee, who ruled the country for 18 years until his assassination.

Park, the conservative ruling party candidate, was considered the clear front-runner until last month, when she made comments seen as supportive of her father’s 1961 coup and failed to condemn a 1975 court ruling that led to the executions of eight people who more than two decades later were posthumously cleared of subversion charges.

Park later apologised for her comments, but suspicions about her views on South Korea’s dictatorial history linger.

Director Chung Ji-young dared Park to watch his film, which has the Korean title “Namyeongdong 1985”, saying it would help prove the genuineness of her apology and whether she was sincere in her promise to help heal the pain of those who suffered under military rule.