Korean director KT Kwak,whose credits include Typhoon, Korea's most expensive film to date, is set to direct a film based on famousJapanese novelist Murakami Ryu's Hanto ODeyo (Get Out Of The Peninsula).

The controversial noveldepicts a North Korean commando unit taking over the island of Fukuoka in 2010 when Japan has become politically isolated from the rest of theworld.

Japan's Amuse Entertainment, which owns the rights to the film, isco-producing with Korea's Zininsa Film. In addition to Typhoon,Zininsa previously produced Kwak's Championand Mutt Boy.

Currently in developmentwith Kwak adapting the novel himself, the film is scheduled to go intoproduction early next year. The budget is projected to be similar to therecord-breaking Typhoon's $14.5m.

Yang Joong-kyung, head ofZininsa Film, says the producers plan to cast talented Korean and Japaneseactors once the script is completed.

A director as well as writerhimself, Murakami Ryu is said to have suggested the film to Kwak during the productionof Typhoon. Several of Ryu's bookshave been made into films, including 69,directed by Sang-il Lee.

Although Kwak is said tohave hesitated initially at the thought of a film made from the viewpoint ofJapanese right-wing conservatives, Ryu convinced him that the novel was meantto send a warning to Japanese society, which is gradually leaning further tothe right.

Yang says: "After meetingMurakami Ryu and reading his book, we saw it was about how Japan is becoming isolated from its neighboring countries,such as Korea and China, because of the wrong path it has taken historicallyand diplomatically, and so we agreed to make the film."

Osato Yokichi, CEO andchairman of Amuse Inc, which holds the Japan distribution rights to Typhoon, visited Korea several times during the production of the film tofurther the project.

Typhoon isto open in Japan this August on 250 screens.

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