Police Accelerate Investigation into 'Anti-North Korea Leaflet Distribution' Group... Additional Summons Expected

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] The police are accelerating their all-out investigation into the North Korean defector groups that created and distributed leaflets aimed at North Korea.

On the 6th, at a press briefing held at the Seoul Jongno-gu police station, Lee Yong-pyo, Commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, stated, "Four organizations have been reported in connection with the investigation into the distribution of leaflets and materials to North Korea, and a task force (TF) has been formed to investigate the distribution of North Korean leaflets and materials." He added, "The charges listed in the complaint include violations of the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act, Aviation Safety Act, Marine Environment Management Act, Reclamation and Management of Public Waters Act, Outdoor Advertisement Management Act, as well as crimes under the Criminal Act such as treason, fraud, and embezzlement."

Earlier, on the 23rd of last month, Gyeonggi Province requested the police to investigate four groups: the Free Joseon Movement led by representative Park Sang-hak, Kkeun Saem, Voice of the Martyrs, and the North Korean Compatriots Direct Aid Movement’s North Korean Balloon Team.

The police are investigating the overall suspicions based on the complaints. On the 26th of last month, the police conducted a search and seizure of the offices of the Free Joseon Movement, led by representative Park, and Kkeun Saem, represented by Park’s younger brother, Park Jung-oh. During the search, the police also seized Park’s person, mobile phones, and vehicles. They secured and are analyzing related materials such as data stored on computers and mobile phones, as well as financial accounts. The Park brothers were summoned and questioned by the police on the 30th of the same month.

The police are also coordinating the summons date for Park Sang-hak in relation to the incident where he assaulted SBS reporters who visited his home, after completing the victim investigation.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding the missionary group Voice of the Martyrs, the police added an international crime investigation team to the task force. The police explained that this is because the group’s representative, Pastor Eric Foley, is a U.S. citizen. The police plan to verify the overall facts related to the group’s activities and summon related individuals for questioning. Voice of the Martyrs claimed that on the 25th of last month, they sent four large balloons containing Bibles to North Korea from Ganghwa Island, Incheon. It is also known that they released large balloons in Cheorwon County, Gangwon Province on the 3rd of this month. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency will also receive this case for joint investigation.

The investigation into the North Korean Compatriots Direct Aid Movement’s North Korean Balloon Team will be handled by the Northern Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency. The commissioner explained, "Since the North Korean Compatriots Direct Aid Movement’s North Korean Balloon Team is based in Gyeonggi Province, and the requesting agency for the investigation is also Gyeonggi Province, the Northern Gyeonggi Police Agency will conduct the investigation."

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 North Korean leaflet prevention system to block the distribution of leaflets to North Korea.

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