Seoul may prevent anti-DPRK leaflets

The Ministry of Unification of the Republic of Korea, which is in charge of inter-Korean affairs, said on Monday that it will take measures to prevent civic groups from scattering leaflets against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea if it clearly endangers the safety of people living near the border.

Unification Ministry vice-spokeswoman Park Soo-jin said that the scattering of anti-DPRK leaflets by civic groups is "basically" a matter of freedom of expression that cannot be forcefully restrained.

Park, however, noted that the government clearly recognizes that such actions should not harm other people, nor threaten public order.

From this perspective, the government will take necessary measures if the leaflets endanger residents, while considering the guarantee of basic rights, Park said.

Her comments came after an ROK civic group pledged to push ahead with its plan to float the anti-DPRK leaflets across the inter-Korean border despite strong opposition from the DRPK.

Raised tensions

The ROK civic group said on Monday that it will scatter anti-DPRK leaflets as planned with five other civic groups around March 26, the fifth anniversary of the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan.

The action is expected to raise tensions on the Korean Peninsula, which were already taut because of the US-ROK annual military exercises code-named "Key Resolve" and "Foal Eagle". The former ended last week and the latter will continue until late April.

In October, the DPRK shot at balloons carrying anti-DPRK leaflets, resulting in the failure of the inter-Korean talks agreed to when three top-level DPRK officials made a surprise visit to the ROK to join the closing ceremony of the Incheon Asian Games.

Uriminzokkiri, one of the DPRK's major publicity websites, has said that DPRK forces will fire cannons and even missiles at any balloons carrying anti-DPRK leaflets.