Daily NK learned yesterday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s recent order to defer military action against South Korea also applied to North Korean plans to drop leaflets over the inter-Korean border.
“Comrade Kim Yo Jong’s decision to temporarily suspend activities against the enemy was handed down to the United Front Department at 2 PM on June 23,” a source in North Korea told Daily NK yesterday. “At the same time, the Supreme Command ordered the General Staff Department to await further orders while maintaining a state of combat readiness.”
Kim Yo Jong’s order reportedly included instructions to temporarily halt “all activities aimed at the enemy” (South Korea), including the planned leaflet drop; a directive ordering the United Front Department to carefully take care of all leaflets that had already been printed; and a command to halt any and all criticism of South Korea in propaganda for international consumption until new orders were given.
The order handed down to the General Staff Department by the Supreme Command, meanwhile, ordered the military to maintain its state of combat readiness on all fronts until further orders were given. The order also included directives pertaining to preparations for the country’s upcoming summer military drills (which are set to begin on July 1).
Daily NK reported last week that North Korea was preparing to drop leaflets over the inter-Korean border, even recruiting journalists from around the country to cover the event.
“People were selected from various businesses, the university youth alliance, and party committees to head out to the front lines to help with the leaflet drop and were waiting for further instructions,” the source told Daily NK. “The military had done checks of areas where the leaflets would be sent over the border along with devices to be used and had given a report on these activities to Comrade Kim Yo Jong.”
The leaflets already printed are reportedly being held in a storage facility managed by the United Front Department.
North Korea had reportedly prepared 50 million leaflets – one for each person in South Korea. There were over 50 kinds of leaflets made, including those slandering South Korean President Moon Jae In and his family.
“That the United Front Department hasn’t destroyed the leaflets means that they could be used again when needed,” the source said.
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