[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Ministry of Unification dismissed the content of an op-ed by Park Sang-hak, head of the Free North Korea Movement Alliance, published in the Washington Post, stating that the distribution of leaflets to North Korea does not help fulfill the North Korean residents' right to know.
On the 14th, a Ministry of Unification official strongly refuted the claims made by Park in his op-ed titled "We Send Food and Information to North Korea. Why Is South Korea Trying to Stop This?" published on the 13th (local time) in the Washington Post.
In the op-ed, Park Sang-hak argued that the South Korean government is obstructing the efforts of activists and defectors who work to improve the lives of North Korean residents and provide alternative narratives to the lies of the Kim Jong-un regime.
In response, the Ministry of Unification official emphasized, "The guarantee of North Korean residents' right to know must be carried out in a way that does not provoke tensions between the two Koreas or cause harm to residents in border areas."
Earlier, the Ministry of Unification instructed Park Sang-hak, head of the Free North Korea Movement Alliance, to submit his opinion on the cancellation of the corporation establishment permit by the 15th. This is a follow-up measure after Park did not attend the hearing held by the Ministry on the 29th of last month, where he was given an opportunity to explain. If Park Sang-hak does not submit his opinion by the 15th, it will be considered that he accepts the government's decision to cancel the corporation establishment permit. Meanwhile, Park Jung-oh, the older brother of Park Sang-hak and head of Keunsaem, attended the hearing and therefore does not need to submit a separate opinion.
Additionally, regarding reports by some media outlets about the son of Lee In-young, nominee for Minister of Unification, who was exempted from military service due to a spinal joint disorder and was seen kart racing and carrying a box of beer bottles with acquaintances, the Ministry clarified that the kart racing was at a level accessible to the general public.
The Ministry official, citing the nominee's explanation, said, "It is a kart that anyone from the general public can ride, not a high-level kart used by professional racers," and added, "The scenes were staged to promote an event with acquaintances."
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