Korean churches urge ban on 'Da Vinci Code' film

A South Korean Christian group has filed for a court injunction to stop the movie version of The Da Vinci Code, saying it defiles the sanctity of Jesus Christ and distorts facts.

"The Da Vinci Code is a movie which belittles and tries to destroy Christianity," said the Rev. Hong Jae-chul of the Christian Council of Korea, an umbrella group of more than 60 Korean Protestant denominations.

The group has filed an application in Seoul against the film's distributor, Sony Pictures.

The movie, starring Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou, is based on the bestselling novel by Dan Brown.

It is a mystery thriller based on the premise that Jesus and Mary Magdalene married and had a child, and that their bloodline survives today a theory dismissed by most theologians.

Charging that the novel has already provoked "chaos and conflict," the group said The Da Vinci Code calls both the Bible and the Roman Catholic Church into disrepute.

The novel was released in Korean in 2004 and provoked objections from Christian groups.

"The movie will severely infringe on individual's religious beliefs and will be an obstacle to the Christian church's missionary work," the Korean group said.

It urged other Christian organizations around the world to join its efforts to block the movie.

South Korea, with a population of 48 million, has 13 million Protestants and 4.6 million Roman Catholics.

The film is scheduled to have its Cannes world premiere on May 17 and could open in cinemas the following day.