Amid controversy surrounding the launch of
anti-North Korean regime leaflets by a private South Korean organization, Fighters for Free North Korea, ruling Saenuri Party Assemblyman Ha Tae
Kyung has suggested that organizations flying these leaflets refrain from
disclosing their activities to the press and conduct them only at night.
“We must maximize the results of these leaflets, but while showing the
utmost concern for the safety of the citizens and finding a more effective method
[than shown most recently],” Ha stated during a meeting on October 12th.
“In a country like North Korea, which is cut off from
the outside world, it cannot be emphasized enough that letting them know about
what’s going on in the world is essential in change for North Korea and
unification,” he went on. “This is why sending the leaflets to the people
of North Korea should not be undermined and, more so, must not be
criminalized.”
While stressing that the organizations disseminating these
leaflets with rhetoric condemning the North Korean regime cannot overlook
citizens’ safety he stated, “To help mitigate citizens’ anxiety these
organizations must try to find methods that do not give North Korea the pretence of provocation by the South and look into safer and more effective
procedures.”
“As a part of this effort, these groups must refrain
from revealing their plans to the public and the press, and not carry out such
activities during the day,” Ha asserted. “It is imperative that these leaflets
reach the North Korean people, but in a manner that does not require constant
readiness for a counterattack by North Korea.”
According the results of an inquiry by Assemblyman Ha’s
office, approximately 10 of the organizations disseminating leaflets into the
North are doing so at night with no prior disclosure of their plans. Only a few
were reported to have released their intentions to the media prior to the
release.
According to a report released by the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff [JCS], Fighters for Free North Korea launched
approximately 200,000 leaflets with content criticizing the regime in 10
balloons from Paju, about 40 kilometers northwest of Seoul on October 10th, the
69th anniversary of the Chosun Workers’ Party in North Korea. North Korea fired
shots in an attempt to bring down the balloons and after some of the shots
landed south of the border, the South Korean military fired back. There are no
reports of casualties or injuries from the incident.
