BUSAN — Amid escalating controversy over the film "The Assassin(s)," visitors at the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) are far from united in their views. Among those aware of the dispute, opinions were split between discomfort and support for creative freedom. The film dramatizes the 1974 assasination attempt on then-President Park Chung-hee, which led to the fatal shooting of then-first lady Yuk Young-soo. Conservative political circles and civic groups accuse it of misrepresenting history, and a defamation complaint against the filmmakers has led to police investigations. The dispute has reached the festival itself. Cast and crew canceled their attendance at BIFF, citing safety concerns, while the culture ministry and the film community called for a strict response to threats against them. Actors Yoo Hae-jin and Lee Min-ho skipped the opening ceremony, and an outdoor stage greeting and a talk program were canceled. The festival said it had no particular position to make on the controversy. On Wednesday, the festival's competition jury members addressed the dispute at a