Freedom North Korea Movement Alliance "Send Medicines and Leaflets to North Korea"

"Kim Jong-un Focused on Nuclear Development Despite People Starving"

The North Korean defector group, the Free Joseon Movement Alliance, sent large balloons carrying medicine and leaflets to North Korea.

Park Sang-hak, the representative of the Free Joseon Movement Alliance, stated on the 8th, "On the 5th, we launched 20 large balloons from Ganghwa Island, Incheon, carrying Tylenol, vitamin C, booklets, and leaflets to the North." According to photos released by Park, a banner hanging below the large balloon criticizes Kim Jong-un, saying, "The starving 20 million people call Kim Jong-un, who recklessly fires nuclear missiles, a demon."

Leaflet Distribution to North Korea
Photo by Jayu Bukhan Undong Yeonhap

Last October, the Free Joseon Movement Alliance also sent eight large balloons carrying masks, Tylenol, vitamin C, and booklets to North Korea. The group said, "Many people are still dying from COVID-19, but Kim Jong-un ignores the grievances of residents suffering from starvation and continues nuclear and missile provocations," adding, "We will continue to send more information and messages of truth to spread the life and freedom of the North Korean people."

Considering the sensitive inter-Korean relations, the government has consistently requested civilian groups to refrain from distributing leaflets to North Korea. Under the current Inter-Korean Relations Development Act, known as the so-called 'Anti-Leaflet Distribution Law,' distributing leaflets to North Korea can result in up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won.

Park and the Free Joseon Movement Alliance have an inseparable relationship with the Anti-Leaflet Distribution Law. From April to June 2020, Park distributed leaflets criticizing the North Korean leadership in border areas, which led to a backlash from Kim Yo-jong, the North Korean Workers' Party deputy director, who mentioned the 'blowing up of the inter-Korean joint liaison office.' Subsequently, the Ministry of Unification notified the group of the cancellation of its corporate establishment permit, and this incident prompted the Democratic Party of Korea to push through the Anti-Leaflet Distribution Law. It is also called the 'Kim Yo-jong Directive Law' because shortly after Kim Yo-jong threatened to 'make a law to stop it,' the Moon Jae-in administration announced it was preparing legislation.

Park and the Free Joseon Movement Alliance filed a lawsuit against the Minister of Unification to revoke the cancellation of their nonprofit corporation establishment permit but lost in the first and second trials. After appealing again, the Supreme Court overturned the lower court's ruling on the 27th of last month and sent the case back to the Seoul High Court. The court defined the act of distributing leaflets as "a part of political and social activities to inform the reality of the North Korean regime," stating, "It is difficult to deny that it plays a positive role in raising domestic and international awareness of North Korea's human rights issues."

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