Passage of 'Anti-North Korea Leaflet Distribution Law'... Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "Minimal Measure for Safety of Residents in Border Areas"

"Government Respects Human Rights as an Invaluable Value Above All, Continues Communication with the International Community"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 14th, regarding the concerns expressed by some Republican members of the U.S. Congress about the law banning the distribution of leaflets to North Korea (an amendment to the Inter-Korean Relations Development Act) that passed the National Assembly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that human rights are a non-negotiable value, but emphasized that it is a minimum measure to ensure the safety of residents in border areas.

On the 15th, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Choi Young-sam explained at a regular briefing about the government’s position on the passage of the law banning leaflet distribution to North Korea, saying, “The government respects human rights as a value that cannot be compromised and above all else,” and added, “Nevertheless, this legislative amendment is also emphasized as a minimum measure to protect the safety of residents living in our border areas.”

Regarding the concerns expressed by U.S. Congress members, he added, “The government plans to continue efforts to communicate with the international community, including the United States, based on a principled stance.”

In the U.S., voices of concern about the amendment to the Inter-Korean Relations Development Act and North Korean human rights issues seem to be growing rather than movements to resume dialogue. According to the Voice of America (VOA) broadcast on the same day, Michael McCaul, the Republican ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said, “Freedom of expression is a core value of democracy,” and “The U.S. Congress has long supported efforts to provide external information to North Korea. The bright future of the Korean Peninsula depends on North Korea becoming like South Korea.”

Earlier, U.S. Republican Congressman Chris Smith stated in a press release on the 11th (local time) that the passage of the amendment to the Inter-Korean Relations Development Act “criminalizes acts to promote democracy and provide mental and humanitarian support to residents suffering under the most brutal communist dictatorship.”

Spokesperson Choi said, “The government plans to continuously communicate with the international community, including the United States, regarding human rights issues,” and “The Republic of Korea and the United States are closely communicating on various fronts and will continue to strengthen efforts.”

Meanwhile, in response to questions about whether the Korea-China-Japan summit will be held within this year, he reiterated the existing position, saying there is no specific information to convey. Regarding Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Korea, he said that while there is agreement on the fundamental policy to promote an early visit, there is no specific information to disclose.

Spokesperson Choi said, “As the chair country of Korea-China-Japan cooperation this year, the government is continuing communication with related countries such as Japan and China to promote necessary cooperation, including holding an early summit,” and added, “There is no set information to specifically announce regarding the timing of the summit or other detailed matters.”

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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