Park Geun-hye releases letter written by her late father amid film controversy

The Korea Times - Oct 3, 2026

As conservatives criticize the film “The Assassin(s),” which deals with the fatal shooting of first lady Yuk Young-soo, as a distortion of history, Rep. Yoo Young-ha of the People Power Party on Friday released a handwritten letter that former President Park Chung-hee sent to his daughter, former President Park Geun-hye. Yoo held a press conference at the National Assembly and released a copy of the letter, which had been kept by Park Geun-hye. The letter was written on Aug. 17, 1974, two days after Yuk's death. At the time, Park Geun-hye was studying in France. After learning of her mother's death, she returned to Korea via Tokyo, and received the letter from her younger sister, Park Geun-ryeong, while en route. In the letter, Park Chung-hee wrote to his daughter: “The bullet that should have struck your father instead struck your mother and took her away. I think again and again how wonderful it would have been if I had been shot and your mother had survived.” He continued, “Your mother took the bullet meant for me and left me with all the responsibility for you children and

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