Gyeonggi-do Issues First 'Prohibition Order' Against North Korea Leaflet Distribution Group on the 17th

Gas Canisters for Leaflet Distribution 'Discovered' at the Home of Im Min-bok, Leader of the Pocheon Sohol-eup Bukhan Dongpo Direct Aid Movement Balloon Team

Lee Jae-gang, Deputy Governor for Peace of Gyeonggi Province, is visiting Pocheon City, designated as a high-risk area for the distribution of leaflets to North Korea, to inspect the situation on site.

[Asia Economy (Pocheon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] On the 17th, as Gyeonggi Province designated the entire area of five cities and counties in northern Gyeonggi, bordering North Korea, as a 'danger zone,' the first administrative order was issued on the same day.

Gyeonggi Province announced that in the afternoon of the day, they checked the house of Lee Min-bok, the representative of the North Korean Compatriots Direct Assistance Movement's North Korea Balloon Team, who was preparing to distribute leaflets to North Korea in Sohol-eup, Pocheon City, and after notifying the danger zone and prohibition of activities administrative order, delivered a public notice.

Lee Jae-gang, the Deputy Governor for Peace of the province, conveyed to the representative by phone that distributing leaflets to North Korea would violate regulations and result in punishment, and placed the relevant notice in the mailbox.

At the site, the province discovered high-pressure gas for leaflet distribution and, together with Pocheon City, posted a warning notice prohibiting its use.

On the day, 38 personnel were deployed at the site, including Deputy Governor for Peace Lee Jae-gang, the Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police, Pocheon City officials, Korea Gas Safety Corporation, fire and emergency safety personnel.

The North Korean Compatriots Direct Assistance Movement's North Korea Balloon Team has been known to have continued leaflet distribution activities using balloons since 2005.

Earlier, the province issued an 'Administrative Order on Setting Danger Zones and Prohibiting Activities' designating the entire areas of Yeoncheon County, Pocheon City, Paju City, Gimpo City, and Goyang City, excluding military bases, as danger zones until November 30.

Seized High-Pressure Gas Equipment

In the administrative order notice, the province cited 'disaster prevention through controlling access and prohibiting activities of leaflet distributors to North Korea' as the reason for setting the danger zone, controlling access of those involved in leaflet distribution within the danger zone, and prohibiting preparation, transportation, distribution, and use of related items such as leaflets.

This administrative order is based on Article 41 (Setting of Danger Zones) of the Framework Act on Disaster and Safety Management, and violations are punishable by imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to 10 million won.

Following the administrative order, the province held a video conference with deputy heads of border area local governments to inform them of the issuance of the administrative order and requested cooperation in measures to prevent leaflet distribution to North Korea.

Earlier, on the 12th, the province defined illegal leaflet distribution to North Korea as an act threatening the lives and safety of residents and announced three countermeasures: ▲designating danger zones in some border areas and banning leaflet distributors from entering ▲restraining preparatory acts such as vehicle movement and gas injection before leaflet distribution and preemptively blocking illegal acts ▲strong measures including crackdowns, investigations, and prosecutions through the Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police.

Then, on the 16th, Deputy Governor for Peace Lee Jae-gang presided over the first task force (TF) meeting to prevent leaflet distribution to North Korea, attended by heads of 16 related departments, to discuss countermeasures.

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