'Anti-North Korea Leaflet Distribution' Representative Park Sang-hak Refuses Second Police Summons for Investigation

Park Sang-hak, the head of the Free North Korea Movement Alliance, who revealed last month that he had distributed leaflets toward North Korea near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), is appearing for questioning at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on the 10th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] The second police investigation into Park Sang-hak, head of the Free North Korea Movement Alliance, who admitted to distributing 'anti-North Korea leaflets' last month, was unsuccessful.

According to the police on the 20th, Park visited the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Naejadong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, where the second investigation was scheduled for the afternoon, but suddenly left the building. It is reported that Park said, "I cannot accept the police's coercive investigation."

A police official said, "It is true that he refused to cooperate with the investigation this afternoon," and added, "We will reschedule the investigation."

The Free North Korea Movement Alliance claimed that from the 25th to the 29th of last month, they sent 500,000 leaflets, 500 booklets, and 5,000 one-dollar bills to North Korea twice using 10 advertising balloons in the areas adjacent to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces.

This leaflet distribution to North Korea was the first since the so-called 'Anti-North Korea Leaflet Prohibition Act (Amendment to the Act on the Development of Inter-Korean Relations)' came into effect in March. The amended law stipulates that broadcasting with loudspeakers and leaflet distribution near the Military Demarcation Line can be punished by up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won.

Kim Chang-ryong, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, ordered a swift investigation on the 2nd after Kim Yo-jong, Deputy Director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, issued a statement condemning the leaflet distribution. The police conducted a search and seizure of Park's office on the 6th. On the 10th, Park was summoned as a suspect and investigated for about six hours.