Ministry of Unification: "Efforts to Enhance North Korean Residents' Right to Know Should Not Infringe on Border Area Residents' Rights"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] On the 31st, the Ministry of Unification stated that efforts to enhance the right to know of North Korean residents should not be carried out in a way that infringes on the rights of residents in border areas.

When reporters asked a Ministry of Unification official about the inclusion of content related to the "Anti-North Korean Leaflet Act" in the U.S. Department of State's human rights report on South Korea, the official said, "Our government clearly recognizes the importance of enhancing the right to know of North Korean residents and expanding information inflow, and is making efforts accordingly."

The "2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices" South Korea section, released by the U.S. Department of State on the 30th (local time), cited "restrictions on freedom of expression including the criminalization of leaflet distribution to North Korea" as one of the major human rights issues.

The Ministry of Unification official said, "It is undesirable for such (right to know enhancement) efforts to be carried out in a way that infringes on the life, body, peace, and other rights of residents in border areas," adding, "The government will continue to seek and strive for effective ways for North Korean residents to obtain more accurate information about the outside world in cooperation with the international community and domestic and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs)."

The official did not directly comment on the content of the human rights report released by the U.S. Department of State.

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