'Ban on Departure for Park Sang-hak, Head of the Free North Korea Movement Alliance, Over "Anti-North Korea Leaflet Distribution"'

Park Sang-hak, head of the Free North Korea Movement Alliance, is entering the Press Center in Jung-gu on the afternoon of the 6th to hold a press conference for foreign journalists. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Park Sang-hak, the head of the Free North Korea Movement Alliance who has been involved in distributing leaflets to North Korea, is reported to have been banned from leaving the country.

According to the police on the 9th, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's task force (TF) investigating the distribution of leaflets and materials to North Korea recently requested the Ministry of Justice to impose a travel ban on Park, which has been approved.

The police are conducting related investigations following a request from the Ministry of Unification on the 11th of last month to investigate the defector groups distributing leaflets to North Korea. The police have already booked Park and his brother Park Jung-oh, the head of Keunsaem, who sent rice in PET bottles to North Korea.

Additionally, on the 26th of last month, the police searched Park's office and later summoned him to investigate the circumstances of the leaflet distribution to North Korea.

Meanwhile, Park is also under police investigation for allegedly assaulting broadcasting reporters who visited his home on the 23rd of last month.