A new mission in Call of Duty has sparked outrage after it appeared to celebrate North Korea's invasion of South Korea. The game, published by Activision, includes a level where players fight alongside North Korean forces against a fictionalised US-led coalition. Critics say the mission glorifies the Kim regime and whitewashes decades of human rights abuses.
Campaign group 'Stop the War on Fun' has called on the UK games watchdog, the Video Standards Council, to investigate. 'This is not entertainment,' said group spokesperson Dr. Alice Thorn. 'This is propaganda dressed up as a game. The VSC must act.'
The VSC confirmed it had received complaints. 'We are reviewing the content in line with our guidelines,' a spokesperson said. Activision did not respond to requests for comment.
The mission, titled 'Operation Unification', shows players taking on the role of a KPA soldier. In one scene, civilians cheer as tanks roll into Seoul. Another depicts a North Korean general giving a speech about 'liberating the brother nation'.
Sources close to the developers say the level was written by a former US Army consultant. 'He thought it would be a cool twist,' an insider said. 'Nobody flagged the political implications.'
Activision has a history of courting controversy. In 2019, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare included a mission where players could shoot civilians in a terrorist attack. The company claimed it was 'tastefully done'.
But this is different. North Korea's invasion of South Korea in 1950 left millions dead. The war never officially ended. Celebrating it in a video game is like releasing a game where players re-enact the Holocaust.
Government sources say the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is 'monitoring the situation'. 'Ministers are aware of the concerns,' a Whitehall insider said. 'They want to avoid a diplomatic incident with Seoul.'
South Korea's embassy in London issued a statement: 'We are deeply troubled by this game's depiction of our history. We urge the UK authorities to take appropriate action.'
This is not about censorship. It is about accountability. Activision should pull the mission and apologise. If they don't, the VSC must step in.
We will be tracking this story. Expect more documents and sources to emerge. Someone at Activision knew what they were doing. I will find out who.
