This image of leaflet balloons sent to North Korea is provided by a civic group representing families of those abducted by North Korea. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, June 9 (Korea Bizwire) — The unification ministry voiced regret Monday over a recent anti-North Korea leaflet campaign staged by a group of families of those abducted by North Korea, “strongly” calling on them to suspend the campaign.
Families of abduction victims launched four large latex balloons carrying leaflets into North Korea from the western border city of Paju last Monday, marking the group’s third such campaign this year.
The leaflets contained messages demanding information on and the return of seven people believed to have been abducted by the North, along with warning messages.
“The unification ministry expresses regret over the third leaflet distribution by the group of families of abduction victims, despite our call for restraint,” ministry spokesperson Koo Byuong-sam said at a press briefing.
“We strongly urge a halt to leaflet sending, as it can heighten tensions in the Korean Peninsula (security) situation and threaten the lives and safety of residents near the border,” he said.
The ministry will work to ensure compliance with anti-leaflet regulations in cooperation with relevant government agencies, he noted.
It marked the first time the ministry has called for a halt to leaflet campaigns since the Constitutional Court ruled the law banning them unconstitutional in September 2023, citing freedom of expression.
The sudden shift in stance came shortly after President Lee Jae-myung was sworn in last week, pledging to ease tensions and seek dialogue with North Korea, which has long denounced leaflet campaigns against it.
Lee has promised to halt anti-North leaflet campaigns and anti-North broadcasting along the border as part of his presidential pledges on inter-Korean relations.
(Yonhap)
