South Korea's government said Wednesday that it will press charges against two activist groups that have been floating anti-Pyongyang leaflets and bottles filled with rice to North Korea for allegedly breaking the law by sending unauthorized materials to the rival nation.
The announcement by Seoul's Unification Ministry came a day after North Korea announced it was cutting off all communication channels with South Korea over its inability to prevent North Korean defectors and other activists from flying the leaflets across the border.
Seoul's pursuit of legal action against the groups is likely to trigger a debate over freedom of expression and whether President Moon Jae-in's liberal government is sacrificing democratic principles to keep alive his ambitions for inter-Korean engagement. In 2014, soldiers exchanged fire after South Korean activists released propaganda balloons across the Demilitarized Zone, but no casualties were reported.
Park Sang-hak's Fighters for a Free North Korea has launched balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang leaflets for years. Park Jung-oh leads the group Keun Saem, which on Monday unsuccessfully tried to float rice-filled bottles into North Korea from a border town before being blocked by South Korean police.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
North Korea to sever hotlines with South Korea, report saysFor several days, North Korea has lashed out at South Korea, threatening to close an inter-Korean liaison office and other projects
Read more »
UN rights expert voices alarm at ‘widespread food shortages and malnutrition’ in North KoreaTomas Ojea Quintana urged the UN Security Council to reconsider sanctions imposed on the isolated country over its nuclear and missile programs, so as to ensure food supplies
Read more »
South Korean court denies arrest warrant request for Samsung heir Jay Y. LeeSouth Korean court denies arrest warrant request for Samsung heir Jay Y. Lee GlobeBusiness
Read more »
North Korea to sever hotlines with South Korea, report saysFor several days, North Korea has lashed out at South Korea, threatening to close an inter-Korean liaison office and other projects
Read more »