Pyongyang demands halt of propaganda leaflets

Pyongyang has demanded that Seoul prohibit activists from floating balloons containing anti-North messages across the border, saying that future dialogue depends on the halting of the activity.

“It is an anti-communist psychological strategy,” the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a report, Saturday.“If the South wishes to see dialogue take place, it is urgent that they show an attitude of basic respect towards our regime.”

It was Pyongyang’s first response to the South’s offer in August for the sides to resume talks, which included the suggestion that reunions of families separated by the Korean War (1950-53) be held during the national Chuseok holidays.

The North has long bristled at the balloon launches and has often threatened to fire on areas where the activists gather.

“Recently, South Korea has been calling this as a balloon strategy, stating that they’ve acknowledged the fact that it is indeed a military approach, gathering forces for support in the local area, such as gunner soldiers.”

North Korea warned Seoul of constant sending of propaganda leaflets, stating that they will be ready to “terminate the starting point of the provocation, and eliminate the conducting leadership.”

The South Korean unification ministry also released a statement in response, saying that “we are in accordance to the no-slander policy that was decided upon during the high level talks.”

The spokesperson said that the South Korean system cannot limit the freedom to protest and to assemble and that this policy had been explained during recent inter-Korean talks.