Police Attempt Search and Seizure at Park Sang-hak's Home and Office over 'Anti-North Korea Leaflet Distribution'...Detention Secured (Comprehensive)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The police have conducted a sudden search and seizure of the home and office of Park Sang-hak, the head of the Free North Korea Movement Alliance, who has been involved in distributing leaflets to North Korea. The police also secured Park's custody, who had been resisting the execution of the warrant.

According to the police on the 26th, the Security Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency sent investigators to Park's home and office in Songpa-gu, Seoul, in the morning to attempt to execute the search warrant. A police official explained, "This is to secure materials to verify whether any part of Park's activities violates the law."

However, a standoff occurred as Park locked the front door and refused to come out. Park reportedly delayed the execution of the warrant by saying, "I will call my lawyer." Consequently, the police secured Park's custody, and a full-scale search and seizure operation is expected to follow.

Earlier, on the 22nd, Park claimed to have sent leaflets to North Korea from Deogeun-ri, Wollong-myeon, Paju-si, Gyeonggi Province. The police are currently verifying the facts after leaflets presumed to have been distributed by them were found in Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon Province.

The police have already booked Park and his brother Park Jeong-o, head of Keunsaem, who sent rice in PET bottles to North Korea. This follows the Ministry of Unification's request on the 11th of this month for the police to investigate the defector organizations distributing leaflets to North Korea for 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 Advertisement Act, and criminal charges of treason under the Criminal Act. It is known that Keunsaem's office was also included in this search and seizure.

The police have repeatedly stated a strict stance against the distribution of leaflets to North Korea. Recently, at a press briefing, Police Commissioner Min Gap-ryong emphasized, "We have issued an emergency alert and activated a prevention system to stop the occurrence of public anxiety caused by North Korea threatening citizens due to provocative materials sent to North Korea," adding, "We will conduct an in-depth legal review of the facts identified and take strict and swift measures accordingly."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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