Kim Kyung-il, Mayor of Paju, "I will block the distribution of anti-North Korea leaflets with my whole body"

Paju City Mobilizes Rapid Response Team
Upon Intelligence of Leaflet Distribution Toward North Korea

Paju City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Kim Kyung-il) received intelligence on the afternoon of the 21st that leaflets were to be distributed toward North Korea at an abandoned building site in Munsan-eup. In response, dozens of employees from the Safety General Division, together with the Gyeonggi Provincial Special Judicial Police, urgently dispatched to the scene.

On the 21st, Kim Kyung-il, Mayor of Paju City, received intelligence that leaflets against North Korea were being distributed in an abandoned building lot in Munsan-eup. He urgently dispatched dozens of employees from the Safety General Division along with the Gyeonggi Provincial Special Judicial Police to the scene, where they spoke with local residents. Photo by Paju City

Around 6 p.m. that day, upon receiving intelligence that an unspecified group planned to distribute leaflets toward North Korea, Paju City and the Gyeonggi Provincial Special Judicial Police had been on standby at the location for about three hours to prevent the distribution. They also patrolled the area, including nearby regions, to strengthen security.

Mayor Kim Kyung-il of Paju City visited the site to inspect the situation and encouraged the affiliated public officials and the Gyeonggi Provincial Special Judicial Police, stating, “The damage caused by leaflet distribution is being borne by the citizens of Paju and the public,” and added, “If there is a site where leaflets are being distributed toward North Korea, we will block it with our whole bodies.”

Fortunately, even after nightfall, no leaflet distribution groups appeared, and the feared confrontation did not occur.

Since October 16 of last year, Paju City and the Gyeonggi Provincial Special Judicial Police have designated the entire city of Paju as a danger zone under the Disaster and Safety Act. To monitor and block leaflet distribution activities that could threaten the safety of residents in the border area, they have organized public official patrol teams conducting 24-hour day and night patrols. Over the past five months, no leaflet distribution activities have been detected within Paju City.

Meanwhile, residents in the border area near the Civilian Control Line have expressed anxiety that if leaflet distribution activities are carried out again, it could lead to retaliatory strikes by North Korea. They are also experiencing sleep disturbances, headaches, and tinnitus symptoms due to North Korea’s loudspeaker broadcasts targeting the South, which are a countermeasure to the South Korean military’s resumption of loudspeaker broadcasts toward North Korea.

In response, residents of Daeseong-dong and Tanhyeon-myeon are preparing a petition demanding the cessation of loudspeaker broadcasts from both the South Korean military and North Korea, which they plan to submit to the Ministry of National Defense.