Oscar-winning “Parasite” director Bong Joon-ho and other South Korean stars called on Friday for an investigation into police and media behavior in the days before actor Lee Sun-kyun's death.
• Also read: South Korea: “Parasite” actor Lee Sun-kyun found dead
“We call on the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to determine whether there were any security lapses in the police investigation,” Bong said Friday at a news conference attended by South Korean filmmakers and industry representatives.
He added that authorities needed to examine “whether unauthorized disclosures” came from police officers involved in the investigation who communicated inappropriately with the media.
Bong Joon-ho read a statement signed by around 30 South Korean entertainment industry organizations, including film festivals, actors' unions and the local screenwriters' guild.
Known worldwide for his role in “Parasite,” Lee Sun-kyun, 48, was found dead in a car in Seoul last month while authorities opened an investigation against him in October for alleged use of cannabis and other psychotropic drugs.
After his death, police were suspected of being behind the leak of confidential documents, sparking frantic media coverage and a wave of damaging content on social media.
After being praised for his clean image, Mr. Lee saw his reputation tarnished by the investigations against him when they became public.
In a country that is very strict on this matter, the scandal deprived him of endorsement deals and television and cinema appearances, which the press estimated at 10 billion won (7 million euros). South Korean.
Bong Joon-ho and others called for stricter laws to better protect artists and entertainment professionals and urged the media to behave better in the future.
They particularly singled out South Korean national broadcaster KBS for its coverage of the affair. In November, KBS released audio recordings that purported to be Lee Sun-kyun's private phone conversations.