International Human Rights Group: "Revoking the Establishment of Defector Group Distributing Anti-North Korea Leaflets Violates Freedom of Assembly and Association"

The photo shows defectors' organizations such as the Free North Korea Movement Alliance distributing leaflets over the border area in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on April 2, 2016. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Seul-gi] A senior official of an international human rights organization criticized the South Korean government's policy to ban the distribution of leaflets to North Korea.

On the 11th (local time), according to foreign media including Bloomberg, Phil Robertson, Asia Director and senior official of Human Rights Watch (HRW), condemned the Ministry of Unification's announcement to revoke the establishment permits of defector organizations, saying, "The Ministry of Unification's announcement to cancel the establishment permits of (defector) organizations blatantly violates the freedom of assembly and association, which cannot be justified by ambiguous appeals such as border area security and inter-Korean relations."

Deputy Director Robertson made these remarks in a critical statement regarding the Ministry of Unification's referral of two defector organizations, the Free North Korea Movement Union and Keunsam, to the police for investigation on charges including violation of the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act, and the initiation of procedures to revoke their establishment permits.

Robertson argued, "Sending messages attached to balloons is a relatively harmless way to express opinions."

He also criticized the South Korean government's claim that the leaflet distribution by defector organizations violates the spirit of the Panmunjom Declaration, stating, "It shows that the Panmunjom Declaration completely disregards North Korea's horrific human rights abuses."

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