Kim Geun-sik: "Is the Korean Government an Agency Following Kim Yo-jong's Orders?"

Criticism of Government's Response to North Korean Leaflets
"Beyond Unrequited Love to Stalking Level"

Professor Kim Geun-sik, Kyungnam University

Criticism is emerging that the government's immediate move to establish laws and systems in response to North Korea's call to ban the distribution of leaflets is an excessive attempt to appease North Korea.

On the 4th, Professor Kim Geun-sik of Gyeongnam National University criticized the government's response to the leaflets, saying, "The Blue House, as well as the Ministry of Unification and the Ministry of National Defense, are acting in unison to heed the anger of Kim Yo-jong, the First Deputy Director of the North Korean Workers' Party, over the 'anti-North leaflets.' It seems more like a North Korean agency following Kim Yo-jong's orders rather than the government of the Republic of Korea."

The Ministry of Unification announced on the same day that it would begin preparing institutional measures to ban the distribution of leaflets to North Korea, citing reasons such as stopping acts that raise tensions in border areas, environmental pollution, and the burden of waste disposal.

Regarding this, Professor Kim said, "North Korea, which fired mortars toward the South citing leaflet distribution as a reason, is the one escalating tensions and committing military provocations. How can leaflet distribution be the cause of tension escalation?" He added, "We should condemn North Korea for its military provocations in response to legitimate leaflet distribution."

He also criticized a Blue House official's remark that leaflet distribution is a 'harmful act that endangers security.'

Professor Kim said, "Although leaflet distribution has side effects and its effectiveness is debatable, it is not entirely harmful. It instills a deadly fear in Kim Jong-un and provides opportunities for internal change and information dissemination within North Korea."

He added, "The act of distributing leaflets to reveal the reality of the dictatorship and to support the human rights of North Korean residents threatens North Korea's security, not that of the Republic of Korea. The Blue House's perception is truly surprising and dangerous."

Professor Kim also criticized the Moon Jae-in administration's overall North Korea policy. He said, "When North Korea provokes, the government deliberately turns a blind eye and tries to understand, and when North Korea protests, it quickly bows down, saying 'It was a mistake, we won't do it again.' There must be limits and principles to tolerating and waiting while sacrificing pride."

He said, "(North Korea) mocks and insults the South with unmentionable words like 'small-headed' and 'trash,' rejects all dialogue and cooperation, and harshly criticizes. The Moon Jae-in government, which clings to North Korea to win favor, is beyond unrequited love and one-sided affection; it is now at the level of 'stalking.'" He raised his voice.

Professor Kim emphasized, "It is not the role of the state to appease North Korea at the expense of the Republic of Korea's values and security. We must clearly and firmly tell the North that wrong is wrong. Only with principles can dialogue and cooperation be possible."

The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Workers' Party of Korea, published on the top of page 2 of its April 4th issue a statement by Kim Yo-jong, First Deputy Director of the Workers' Party and younger sister of Chairman Kim Jong-un, titled "Anti-Republic Acts by Defectors' Trash Under the South Korean Authorities' Tolerance." In the statement, Kim Yo-jong expressed displeasure over the distribution of leaflets by defectors and even mentioned the possibility of terminating the inter-Korean military agreement. The photo shows page 2 of the Rodong Sinmun as featured by Korean Central TV. Photo by Korean Central TV.

Meanwhile, Kim Yo-jong, the First Deputy Director, expressed displeasure at the distribution of leaflets by defectors early that morning and issued a statement mentioning the possibility of terminating the inter-Korean military agreement.

Kim said, "If the South Korean authorities fail to take appropriate measures, they must be fully prepared for the complete dismantling of the Kaesong Industrial Complex following the suspension of tours to Mount Kumgang, the closure of the inter-Korean joint liaison office, or the nullification of the meaningless inter-Korean military agreement."

About four hours later, the Ministry of Unification announced that it was reviewing institutional measures to prevent tension escalation in border areas caused by leaflet distribution.

At a regular briefing that day, Ministry of Unification spokesperson Yeo Sang-gi said, "We are already reviewing effective institutional improvement measures that can fundamentally resolve acts that raise tensions in border areas."

Spokesperson Yeo added, "Most of the distributed leaflets are found in domestic areas, worsening the living conditions of local residents due to environmental pollution and the burden of waste collection in border areas. Acts such as leaflet distribution, which pose risks to the lives and property of people in border areas, including inter-Korean quarantine cooperation, must be stopped."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.