Staff from the secretariat of the Busan International Film Festival have released a statement calling for the normalization of the festival. The statement criticized BIFF chairman Kim Dong-ho and co-director Kang Soo-yeon and called for a public apology from Busan Mayor Suh Byung-soo, the Hankyoreh was told by phone on Aug. 4. In a statement on Aug. 7, BIFF called for a public apology from Suh, the reinstatement of former executive director Lee Yong-gwan, and for the support of the film community in organizing a successful festival this year. Lee was dismissed after the controversy surrounding the screening of the documentary “Diving Bell”, about the Sewol ferry sinking.