Officials of five of Korea’s top international film festivals gathered in Seoul on Monday to show support for the beleaguered Busan International Film Festival.

Jeonju International Film Festival, Seoul International Women’s Film Festival, Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, Jecheon International Music & Film Festival and DMZ International Documentary Film Festival issued a joint statement expressing concern over BIFF’s independence and freedom of expression.

“We are deeply concerned over the latest moves by the government and Busan City’s pressure and retaliation against BIFF, such as demanding the resignation of BIFF chief Lee Yong-kwan and overseeing the selection of the festival’s movies following the screening of a documentary in 2014,” it said in a statement.

“Busan City has violated the filmmakers’ freedom of expression they have worked hard to gain, and damaged the festival’s independence and value,” it added.

Busan City has called on BIFF organizing committee director Lee to resign, claiming that Lee misused the city’s funding for the festival. It alleged that BIFF had also illegally paid commissions worth over 60 million won ($50,300) to sponsorship brokers, citing an investigation by the Board of Audit and Inspection of Korea.

In 2014, Lee went against Busan City, which provides half of the festival’s annual budget, and went ahead with screening of “The Truth Shall Not Sink with Sewol,” or “Diving Bell,” a controversial documentary critical of the government‘s failed rescue efforts during the Sewol ferry disaster of April that year.

By Park Hyong-ki (hkp@heraldcorp.com)