I am an editorial writer at The Korea Times, focusing on foreign policy, North Korea and domestic politics. My key areas of interest include North Korea, foreign interference in elections, election integrity, cyberattacks and human rights. Prior to joining the Editorial Board, I served as both Politics Desk editor and Culture Desk editor. During my career, I have reported on the Presidential Office under the Lee Myung-bak administration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Assembly.
Anti-NK leaflets divide southerners
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae speaks during the parliamentary audit in the National Assembly, Friday. / Yonhap
By Kang Hyun-kyung
North Korean defectors show no signs of backing down over plans to release helium balloons filled with anti-North Korean leaflets, despite repeated threats from Pyongyang and mounting calls from the South to stop.
On Friday, an activist at the Seoul-based non-profit group Fighters for Free North Korea told The Korea Times that the group plans to send hundreds of thousands of leaflets into the North on Saturday as scheduled.
She declined to give exact details on the anti-North Korea propaganda being sent.
The leaflets have created a domestic rift in the South as liberals and border town residents have put pressure on the government to stop defectors in their drive to “enlighten” poor North Koreans who were brainwashed by the regime.
The patience of some South Koreans near the border is wearing thin, as they believe their lives are being put in danger. Earlier this month, the two Koreas exchanged gunfire several times near the military demarcation line in response to balloons being sent into the North.
On Friday, some 800 activists launched protests in several southern cities, including Changwon and Jinju, calling on defectors to scrap the plan to release the leaflets. They expressed concern that the anti-North Korea propaganda would further deteriorate inter-Korean relations and ultimately lead to military conflict between the two sides.
The protests followed North Korea’s threat to retaliate against the South unless the leaflet campaign is scrapped.
Feeling the pressure, residents of border towns such as Ganghwa, Gimpo and Gosung in Gangwon Province held separate protests in Jongno, Seoul. If the offending flyers are sent as scheduled, the residents warned they would take legal action against the Ministry of Unification and conservative groups that support the leaflet project over their dereliction of duty and violation of the Inter-Korean Exchange Law.
They added that the release of leaflets could cost them their lives, while others claimed they have suffered a loss in income over the issue. Autumn is a peak season for tourism and tourists from all across the country usually come to Gangwon Province near the border for sightseeing, they said.
This year, however, the number of tourists has fallen sharply due to tensions between the two Koreas, which have discouraged tourists from coming to their towns, according to residents.
A recent Gallup Poll found that nearly six out of every 10 Koreans are opposed to the defectors’ leaflet project. Nearly 50 percent of respondents called for the government to stop the release of anti-North Korean materials into the reclusive state.
Some politicians have even called for a ban on the flyers, saying it is a violation of the law as aviation in the area near the military demarcation line is prohibited.
The unification ministry maintained that it is not in a position to intervene in the case.
During the National Assembly audit, Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae said the defectors, who are now South Koreans, are simply exercising their freedom of expression, which is a constitutional right.
In a democratic nation, he indicated that the government is not supposed to regulate the activities of civil society as long as those activities are not against the law.
However, the government would need to think of ways to protect the lives and property of its citizens if they are negatively affected, according to Ryoo.
Despite this, concerns are growing within the government as it is obvious the leaflets will do little good for inter-Korean relations, especially now when the two Koreas are expected to hold a second round of talks.