Ban on Distributing Anti-North Korea Leaflets Across Ganghwa-gun from Next Month... "Danger Zone Designation"

"Leaflet Drops Toward North Korea Trigger Provocations"

Leaflets sent to North Korea.
[Photo courtesy of the Free North Korea Movement Alliance / Yonhap News]

Incheon’s Ganghwa County announced on the 31st that starting from the 1st of next month, the entire Ganghwa County will be designated as a 'danger zone,' and an administrative order banning the distribution of leaflets to North Korea will be enforced.

Ganghwa County determined that the leaflet distribution activities by North Korean defector groups could provoke North Korea amid serious harm to residents caused by North Korea’s loudspeaker broadcasts since July. Accordingly, under Article 41 of the Framework Act on the Management of Disasters and Safety, the entire border area of Ganghwa County, which is at high risk of North Korean provocations, will be designated as a danger zone.

Within the danger zone, Ganghwa County plans to strictly control entry of individuals involved in leaflet distribution and strictly regulate activities such as preparation, transportation, distribution, and use of leaflet materials. Park Yong-cheol, the head of Ganghwa County, stated, "We are reviewing all possible measures to resolve the issue through communication with residents," and added, "We will focus on safety and the restoration of daily life."

The lifting of the danger zone designation will be considered based on future local circumstances.

Residents of Ganghwa County are suffering severe noise damage due to the ongoing North Korean loudspeaker broadcasts and are demanding countermeasures. Local residents especially appeal, "North Korea is using the leaflet distribution as a pretext for noise attacks," and urge, "Please completely block the distribution of leaflets to ensure the guarantee of our right to survival."