Leaflets and USBs Sent Attached to Balloons
Recently, Drones Also Used... Effectiveness in Question
South and North Korea Promise to Ban Leaflet Distribution in Panmunjom Declaration
Kim Yo-jong, the first deputy director of the Workers' Party and younger sister of North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un, issued a statement on the 4th expressing displeasure over the distribution of leaflets to North Korea by defectors and even mentioned the possibility of terminating the inter-Korean military agreement. Although the distribution of leaflets by North Korean human rights organizations is not a recent phenomenon and its effectiveness has been questioned, North Korea's sharp reaction paradoxically increased the value of these leaflets.
Leaflets sent to North Korea refer to propaganda printed materials, portable storage devices (USBs, CDs), etc., sent by South Korean civil society groups using balloons or flying devices.
The most recent leaflet distribution was carried out by the Free North Korea Movement Alliance on the 31st of last month. Around 1 a.m. on May 31, the group sent 500,000 leaflets titled "Kim Jong-un who says he will launch new strategic nuclear weapons" along with 500 booklets, 2,000 one-dollar bills, and 1,000 SD cards attached to 20 large advertising balloons from Seongdong-ri, Wolgot-myeon, Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi Province.
The leaflets included phrases such as "Kim Jong-un, the hypocrite who declared at the 7th Central Military Commission's 4th meeting that he will take shocking actions with new strategic nuclear weapons!" The leaflets directly pointed out by Kim Yo-jong in her statement were from this group.
On April 30, the same group sent 500,000 leaflets attached to large balloons from Yangsa-myeon, Ganghwa-gun, Incheon, announcing the election of Tae Yong-ho of the United Future Party and Ji Seong-ho of the Future Korea Party. Along with the leaflets, 500 booklets, 2,000 USBs and SD cards, and 2,000 one-dollar bills were also included in the balloons.
The North Korean defector organization, the Free North Korea Movement Alliance, announced on the 1st that on the 31st of last month, they sent 500,000 leaflets titled "Kim Jong-un Threatens to Launch New Strategic Nuclear Weapons," 50 booklets, 2,000 one-dollar bills, and 1,000 memory cards (SD cards) attached to 20 large balloons from Wolgot-ri and Seongdong-ri in Gimpo City, flying them toward North Korea.Photo by the North Korean defector organization distributing leaflets to North Korea.
However, the effectiveness of such leaflet distribution activities is generally considered low.
According to the police, a report was received around 6:30 a.m. on April 30 about a balloon containing leaflets being found in Yangju-si. The balloon carried about 3,000 leaflets related to lawmakers Tae Yong-ho and Ji Seong-ho, as well as USBs. The police believe that some of the balloons carrying leaflets sent by defector groups did not reach North Korea and fell to the ground.
It is presumed to be the same as the one sent by the Free North Korea Movement Alliance on April 30. Considering the weather conditions at the time, it is believed that the leaflets had difficulty crossing the border smoothly. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, on the early morning of the 30th last month, winds blew from the southwest to an altitude of 1.5 km above ground, and from the northwest up to 3 km altitude.
In June 2017, balloons carrying leaflets sent by defector groups were also found in four areas including residential and road areas in Gwangtan and Jeokseong-myeon of Paju-si, Gyeonggi Province, Ilsandong-gu of Goyang-si, and Dongducheon-si.
Recently, leaflet distribution using drones has also been carried out. The Free North Korea Movement Alliance claimed that on April 9, they flew a drone in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, and distributed about 10,000 leaflets over Pyongyang. However, experts say that it is practically impossible for a civilian drone to carry leaflets and fly 200 km. Moreover, such a flying device should have been detected by military radar, but no such indications have been reported.
Despite these realities, Kim Yo-jong, who acts as the de facto spokesperson for North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un, issuing a direct statement regarding leaflet distribution indicates that North Korea takes this issue seriously. Above all, the suspension of leaflet distribution is an issue that President Moon Jae-in and Chairman Kim personally agreed upon.
President Moon Jae-in (right) and Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea.
On April 27, 2018, in the Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity, and Unification of the Korean Peninsula, Article 2, Clause 1, President Moon and Chairman Kim promised, "(South and North Korea) will cease all hostile acts including loudspeaker broadcasts and leaflet distribution around the Military Demarcation Line from May 1, dismantle the means for such acts, and work to make the Demilitarized Zone a practical peace zone."
North Korea's dissatisfaction over the failure to implement the agreement reached by the two leaders in person has some legitimacy. Professor Lim Eul-chul of the Institute of Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University said, "The issue of leaflet distribution was agreed upon as part of a comprehensive cessation of all hostile acts against the other party in all spaces including land, sea, and air, which are sources of military tension and conflict," adding, "From North Korea's perspective, they cannot allow the leaflet distribution issue to be neglected."
Meanwhile, the Free North Korea Movement Alliance has planned to distribute one million leaflets again to mark the 70th anniversary of the Korean War, drawing attention to what measures the government will take.
Currently, it is considered difficult to legally punish leaflet distribution even if North Korean groups proceed with it.
Lee Min-bok, head of the North Korean Balloon Team at the North Korean Compatriots Direct Aid Movement Headquarters, filed a lawsuit against the state in 2015 after being stopped by the police during leaflet distribution activities.
At that time, the first trial court ruled, "Leaflet distribution is an exercise of freedom of expression and, in principle, cannot be restrained, but if it poses a serious risk to the life and body of the people, restraint is not illegal unless it is excessive," and ruled against the plaintiff. The court found no government liability for compensation but recognized the importance of 'freedom of expression.' This ruling was upheld by the Supreme Court.
The Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act also does not provide grounds to regulate the act of leaflet distribution itself.
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