Police Launch Large-Scale Investigation into 'Daebuk Jeondan' Leaflets... Key Issue Is Whether to Apply Charges

No Previous Punishment for Leaflet Distribution Itself
'Leaflet Distribution Claim' by Representative Park Sang-hak, Arrest Unlikely

Two Investigation Requests from Ministry of Unification and Gyeonggi Province
Investigation by Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Security Investigation Unit

On the night of the 22nd, a balloon carrying leaflets sent by a North Korean defector organization from Paju, Gyeonggi Province, fell on the night of the 23rd in a nearby mountain in Magok-ri, Seomyeon, Hongcheon-gun, and the police are collecting it. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The police have launched a large-scale investigation into the North Korean defector group that distributed leaflets to North Korea. Since there has been no precedent for punishing such actions until now, the key issue going forward is which charges the police will apply.

According to the National Police Agency on the 24th, leaflets presumed to have been distributed by the North Korean defector group Free Joseon Movement were found yesterday in Hongcheon County, Gangwon Province. Accordingly, the Security Investigation Unit of the Gangwon Provincial Police Agency has begun a basic fact-finding investigation. The Gangwon Police will verify whether the leaflets were actually distributed by the Free Joseon Movement, and if so, where and how they were distributed. Afterward, they plan to hand over the case to the Security Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, which has started an investigation upon request from the Ministry of Unification, to be processed jointly.

Currently, there are two cases referred to the police for investigation related to the distribution of leaflets to North Korea. On the 11th, the Ministry of Unification requested the police to investigate the North Korean defector group that distributed leaflets under charges including violations of the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act, Marine Environment Management Act, Act on the Management and Reclamation of Public Waters, Aviation Safety Act, Outdoor Advertising Act, as well as the crime of aiding the enemy under the Criminal Act. Subsequently, on the 23rd, Gyeonggi Province requested an investigation into four related organizations on charges of fraud and embezzlement.

The core of the investigation is whether the charges specified by the Ministry of Unification and Gyeonggi Province can be applied. While there have been cases where individuals were punished for damaging or obstructing leaflets to prevent their distribution, there has never been a case of punishment solely for distributing leaflets. In 2013, Park Sang-hak, the head of the Free Joseon Movement, was booked and punished, but this was not due to leaflet distribution itself; rather, it was due to clashes with the police after leaflet distribution was canceled because of local residents' opposition.

The police have currently booked Park and his brother Park Jung-oh, head of Keunsaem, who sent rice in PET bottles to North Korea. A police official stated, "We are investigating local residents as witnesses and reviewing the overall content along with legal verification to confirm the facts." This is interpreted as an intention to carefully consider the application of charges depending on the progress of the investigation. However, the police are not expected to arrest Park and others. Since they have been under police protection due to their status as North Korean defectors, securing custody holds little significance.

Meanwhile, the police have issued an emergency alert to five provincial police agencies ? Incheon, Southern Gyeonggi, Northern Gyeonggi, Gangwon, and Chungnam ? and are operating a 24-hour system to prevent the distribution of leaflets to North Korea.

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