4.5km from Military Demarcation Line, Tongilchon "Daily Life Difficult Due to Leaflet Distribution to North Korea"

"Ban on Leaflet Distribution Law Must Be Passed Quickly"

On the night of June 22, a balloon sent by a North Korean defector organization for leaflet distribution fell on June 23 in a nearby hill in Magok-ri, Seomyeon, Hongcheon-gun, Gyeonggi Province, and the police are collecting it.
The discovered balloon for leaflet distribution is 2 to 3 meters in size, with a photo of North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un's family attached.

Residents of Tongilchon in Gunnae-myeon, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do, urged the National Assembly on the 8th to pass a law banning the distribution of leaflets to North Korea, claiming that their right to livelihood is being infringed upon due to the leaflet distribution. Tongilchon is located within the civilian control zone of the western front of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), just 4.5 km away from the Military Demarcation Line.

On the same day, Tongilchon issued a statement on behalf of all residents, saying, "We hope the National Assembly will promptly pass the relevant law to prevent the leaflet distribution activities by pro-North Korean groups and improve the basic right to livelihood and quality of life of the residents."

They claimed, "Due to the irresponsible distribution of leaflets by pro-North Korean groups, North Korea announced that 'targeted shooting will be conducted' at the leaflet distribution sites, causing residents to tremble with fear and terror."

They continued, "While we understand the actions of pro-North Korean groups who claim freedom of expression and cannot simply blame them, the leaflet distribution threatens the lives of residents and has led to restrictions on farming activities, pushing us into a situation where even basic living is difficult."

The residents appealed, "Pro-North Korean groups should provide appropriate compensation and measures to local residents, and we hope they will stop distributing leaflets to North Korea so that residents can return to their daily lives and resolve their basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter in a peaceful atmosphere." They added, "If leaflet distribution occurs again, measures must be prepared to guarantee the right to livelihood of residents in the Civilian Control Line."

Members of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, Kim Seok-ki of the People Power Party and Lee Tae-gyu of the People's Party, held a press conference on the passage of the law banning the distribution of leaflets to North Korea at the National Assembly Communication Office on the 2nd.

Meanwhile, on the 2nd, the law banning the distribution of leaflets to North Korea was passed solely by the Democratic Party in the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee plenary session of the National Assembly. The committee approved the "Partial Amendment to the Act on the Development of Inter-Korean Relations," which was introduced by Song Young-gil, chairman of the committee and a member of the Democratic Party. The amendment stipulates that those who distribute leaflets or violate inter-Korean agreements around the Military Demarcation Line can be punished with up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won.

The opposition parties opposed the bill, arguing that it excessively restricts the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression, but the Democratic Party pushed it through, citing the urgent need to ensure the safety of residents in border areas.

Opposition lawmakers held a press conference after abstaining from the vote, calling it "an unprecedented submissive incident where even the government and National Assembly of the Republic of Korea moved at the word of Kim Yo-jong," and claimed, "The Moon Jae-in administration and the Democratic Party passed the unconstitutional law banning leaflet distribution to North Korea to maintain the North Korean Kim Jong-un regime."

Jung Jin-seok of the People Power Party criticized, "If Kim Yo-jong, the first deputy director of the Workers' Party of Korea, had not condemned the leaflet distribution, would this law have been made? Of course not." He called the bill "clearly the 'Kim Yo-jong command law,' 'Kim Yo-jong respect law,' and 'Kim Yo-jong praise law.'" He also said, "If the bill is finally passed, we will file a constitutional review petition with the Constitutional Court as a party stance."

Lee Tae-gyu of the People's Party said, "It has only been about two months since the tragic killing of a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official at sea," adding, "North Korea has neither properly apologized for the atrocity nor cooperated in the investigation, yet this law is being pushed through, leading to criticism that it is a 'North Korea mood management law.'"

The Ministry of Unification immediately welcomed the passage of the amendment by the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee. In a statement released the same day, the Ministry said, "This amendment is a 'Life and Safety Protection Act' for 1.12 million residents in border areas and the public, a 'Law to Promote the Improvement of Inter-Korean Relations' that establishes a turning point to strictly observe and implement inter-Korean agreements, and a 'Law to Promote Peace on the Korean Peninsula.'"

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