'Forced Distribution of Leaflets to North Korea' by Free North Korea Movement Alliance and Keunsam, Ultimately 'Establishment Permit Revoked'

Ministry of Unification "Comprehensive Review of Explanation, Related Evidence, etc."... Final Decision

Flyers Distributed to North Korea by Defector Group
Photo by YTN News Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The government announced on the 17th that it has revoked the corporate establishment permits of the North Korean defector organizations, the Free Joseon Movement Alliance and Keunsaem, which forcibly carried out leaflet distribution toward North Korea.

The Ministry of Unification explained that on the same day, "After comprehensively reviewing the explanations and related evidence provided by the two corporations," it made a final judgment that their leaflet distribution activities toward North Korea constitute grounds for revoking corporate establishment permits under Article 38 of the Civil Act.

The Ministry of Unification judged that the distribution of leaflets and goods toward North Korea ▲constitutes business activities outside the purpose of corporate establishment, ▲violates the conditions of establishment permits by severely undermining the government's unification policy and efforts to promote unification, and ▲poses risks to the lives and safety of residents in border areas.

Park Sang-hak, the representative of the Free Joseon Movement Alliance, has persistently carried out leaflet distribution toward North Korea despite concerns from residents in border areas, causing controversy. There were frequent clashes with local residents during the leaflet distribution process. This organization distributed leaflets that strongly provoked high-ranking North Korean officials, including Kim Yo-jong, First Deputy Director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, on May 31, and also distributed 500,000 leaflets on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Korean War. North Korea used these leaflet distributions by defector organizations as a pretext to take extreme retaliatory measures, including blowing up the inter-Korean joint liaison office last month.

Earlier, on the 15th, Park Sang-hak submitted a written opinion to the Ministry of Unification urging the withdrawal of the government's decision to revoke the corporate establishment permits. In the opinion, Park claimed that "sending leaflets to North Korea falls within the business purpose of the corporation," and that "sending leaflets and booklets to North Korea is intended to inform North Korean residents about the inhumane realities and atrocities of the North Korean regime and the development of the Republic of Korea." He emphasized that this is in accordance with the South Korean government's unification policy.

He further stated, "There is no threat to the lives and safety of residents in border areas, and the alleged violations of related laws claimed by the Ministry of Unification do not hold; this falls within the constitutional right to freedom of expression and does not constitute acts harmful to the public interest." He also argued that leaflet distribution toward North Korea is protected under the constitutional right to freedom of expression and that the activities of non-profit corporations should be guaranteed under the constitutional right to freedom of association.

Meanwhile, according to Voice of America (VOA) on the same day, the North Korea Freedom Coalition, led by Susan Sholti, sent a letter expressing concern on the 15th (local time) regarding the Ministry of Unification's intention to revoke the corporate establishment permits of the Free Joseon Movement Alliance and Keunsaem for distributing leaflets toward North Korea.

In the letter, the North Korea Freedom Coalition argued, "Human rights activities directed toward North Korean residents should be protected from attacks in terms of freedom of expression." They also requested reconsideration of regulations, stating, "If the South Korean government infringes on the rights of human rights activists and organizations, it could send the wrong signal to the international community."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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