S. Koreans allowed to access N. Korean propaganda newspaper starting Tuesday

North Korean students read a copy of the Rodong Sinmun newspaper showing coverage of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un arriving in Vietnam ahead of his summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, in Pyongyang in this file photo from Feb. 27, 2019. AFP-Yonhap

South Koreans can now read Rodong Sinmun, the main newspaper of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, without prior approval from the authorities, following the government's relaxation of a decades-long restriction on Pyongyang's publications, the Ministry of Unification said Tuesday.

Under the new policy, Rodong Sinmun — long classified as a "special publication" — has been reclassified as a "general publication," allowing the public to access issues at libraries without special approval procedures.

"Starting today, visitors to institutions authorized to handle the newspaper will be able to access Rodong Sinmun in the same manner as general publications, without the need for separate identity verification or application procedures," Vice Unification Minister Kim Nam-jung said at a briefing.

Kim said the change is intended to guarantee the public free access to information about North Korea, moving away from the current system in which the government controls and selectively provides that information.

According to the ministry, 181 institutions nationwide hold copies of Rodong Sinmun, though only around 20 — including the state-run North Korean Information Center and the National Library of Korea — have the most recent issues.

Previously, the newspaper was stored in closed stacks, accessible only upon request and after users' identities and purposes were verified. Under the new system, the newspaper may now be placed on open shelves alongside other publications.

The latest decision follows a meeting on Friday between the National Intelligence Service and relevant government agencies, which agreed to treat the newspaper as "general materials."

The ministry said it will expand public access to other North Korean materials and websites through cooperation with other government organizations and the National Assembly.

Currently, access to around 60 North Korea-related websites, including the Korean Central News Agency, the regime's primary mouthpiece, remains blocked in South Korea.

Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party / Yonhap

These moves are part of a broader effort by the Lee Jae Myung administration to expand public access to North Korean materials, citing the public's right to know and the academic value of such content.

During the ministry's policy briefing on Dec. 19, Lee said the longstanding ban amounted to "treating our public as people who would easily fall for North Korean propaganda and agitation."

Yet critics have expressed concerns that distorted content from North Korean propaganda outlets could still influence South Koreans, particularly young people and students.

North Korea's tightly controlled state media frequently carries articles praising leader Kim Jong-un and the regime's political system. It also often denounces South Korean authorities, accusing them of stoking inter-Korean tensions.

Asked whether the government plans to counter or clarify misinformation contained in Pyongyang's materials, a senior ministry official said, "Decisions would be made on a case-by-case basis. We do not have a unilateral approach on that for now."

Terms for defectors

The ministry also unveiled plans to change the official term used to refer to North Korean defectors, in an effort to improve their sense of belonging in the South.

The term currently in use, "talbukmin," meaning "people who escape North Korea," carries negative connotations, officials said. The ministry will instead use the term "bukhyangmin," meaning "people from North Korea." The decision was based on surveys conducted among South Koreans and defectors themselves, as well as consultations with linguistics experts.

"For the time being, 'bukhyangmin' will be used alongside existing terminology. We will continue efforts to broaden the use of the new term across other government organizations," the official said.