Ministry of Unification: "Strict Measures Will Be Taken Against Defector Groups Distributing Leaflets to North Korea"

Attempted Leaflet Distribution on the Night of the 22nd "Deep Regret"
"Rising Tensions Between South and North... Will Respond Strongly"

Park Sang-hak, the representative of the Free North Korea Movement Alliance, claimed, "On the 22nd, between 11 PM and midnight, we sent leaflets to North Korea from Deogeun-ri, Wollong-myeon, Paju City," adding, "We distributed the leaflets in a very dark place to avoid police surveillance."
While the police have been operating a 24-hour guard system in the border area to prevent the distribution of leaflets to North Korea, the police and military have not confirmed the leaflet distribution by these groups.
Police and military officials stated that they are "verifying the facts" regarding the Free North Korea Movement Alliance's claim of leaflet distribution.
The photo shows the leaflet distribution by the Free North Korea Movement Alliance.

The Ministry of Unification announced on the 23rd that it will take strict measures against the Free Joseon Movement Alliance, a North Korean defector organization, regarding their leaflet distribution over North Korea in Paju, Gyeonggi Province on the night of the 22nd.

In a statement titled "Ministry of Unification's Position on the Free Joseon Movement Alliance's Attempt to Distribute Leaflets over North Korea," distributed to reporters that day, the Ministry said, "The government expresses deep regret that Park Sang-hak, the representative of the Free Joseon Movement Alliance, and related parties attempted to distribute leaflets and items over North Korea despite the government's announcement of a ban on leaflet and item distribution and ongoing investigations."

The Ministry of Unification emphasized, "The government will strictly take action against Representative Park Sang-hak and related parties in cooperation with the police and other relevant agencies."

The Ministry added that the distribution of leaflets and items over North Korea escalates tensions between the South and the North and threatens the lives and safety of local residents, stating, "We clearly reaffirm that we will respond strongly."

Meanwhile, on the morning of the same day, Park Sang-hak, representative of the Free Joseon Movement Alliance, claimed, "Between 11 PM and midnight on the 22nd, we sent leaflets over Deogeun-ri, Wollong-myeon, Paju City," and added, "We distributed the leaflets in a very dark place to avoid police surveillance."

Park stated, "Since I am continuously tracked by the police, this time I trained amateur members to distribute the leaflets," and claimed, "Due to difficulties in purchasing hydrogen gas and having all the hydrogen gas I had confiscated, we purchased helium gas, which is 17 times more expensive, to distribute the leaflets."

According to Park, six members of the Free Joseon Movement Alliance attached 500,000 leaflets titled 'The Truth of the 6.25 Atrocity,' 500 booklets titled 'The Real Brave Nation, Republic of Korea,' 2,000 one-dollar bills, and 1,000 SD cards to 20 large balloons and released them.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Balloons carrying leaflets, presumed to have been sent by them, were also found in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province.

The Hongcheon Police Station announced that around 10 a.m. on the 23rd, vinyl balloons used for distributing leaflets over North Korea, measuring 2 to 3 meters, were found in a mountain near Magok-ri, Seomyeon, Hongcheon County.

The balloons were inflated with air, shaped like rod balloons, vertically stretched, and caught on tree branches near a stream. Vinyl bags containing leaflets and other items were also found intact.

A police official said, "We responded to a resident's report that vinyl balloons presumed to be used for leaflet distribution over North Korea were caught on tree branches," and added, "Upon investigation, it was confirmed that they were released by the defector organization last night."

The location where the balloons were found is about 70 km southeast of Paju, Gyeonggi Province. If it is confirmed that this organization distributed leaflets over North Korea, the members are expected to be booked by the police.

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