Police Also Book Siblings of Park Sang-hak, Representative of 'Anti-North Korea Leaflet Distribution'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] The police investigating Park Sang-hak, head of the Free North Korea Movement Alliance, on charges of distributing leaflets to North Korea have additionally booked Park's younger brother and his wife.

A Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency official stated at a press briefing on the 5th, "We have additionally booked Park's younger brother and his wife on charges of conspiracy," adding, "Park responded to the first summons but has ignored all three subsequent summonses."

Regarding whether to request an arrest warrant for Park, the police said they will observe further since he responded to the first summons.

Earlier, the Free North Korea Movement Alliance claimed that between April 25 and 29, they sent 500,000 leaflets, 500 booklets, and 5,000 one-dollar bills to North Korea twice using 10 balloons near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in the Gyeonggi and Gangwon areas.

On May 6, the police conducted a search and seizure at Park's office. Then, on the 10th of the same month, Park was summoned as a suspect and investigated for about six hours. Later, on the 20th, Park visited the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Naejadong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, for a second interrogation but suddenly left the building. At that time, Park protested against the police's search and seizure, stating he could not accept coercive investigation, and has refused the third and fourth interrogations.

This leaflet distribution to North Korea was the first since the so-called "Anti-North Korea Leaflet Act (Amendment to the Act on the Development of Inter-Korean Relations)" came into effect in March. The amended law stipulates that broadcasting with loudspeakers and leaflet distribution near the Military Demarcation Line are punishable by up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won.

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