S. Korea bans flying of leaflets toward N. Korea by balloon
by Hyung-Jin Kim, The Associated Press
Posted Dec 14, 2020 9:51 am EDT
Last Updated Dec 14, 2020 at 9:58 am EDT
Police officers collect a ballon carrying a banner with images of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the late leader Kim Il Sung and Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of Kim Jong Un, released by Fighters For Free North Korea, in Hongcheon, South Korea, Tuesday, June 23, 2020. A South Korean activist said Tuesday hundreds of thousands of leaflets had been launched by balloon across the border with North Korea overnight, after the North repeatedly warned it would retaliate against such actions. (Yang Ji-woong/Yonhap via AP)
| UPDATED: 20:05, Mon, Dec 14, 2020
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However, this has been condemned as a violation of freedom of speech by rights agencies. North Korean defectors, religious groups and human rights campaigners have for decades sent leaflets into North Korea. These leaflets spread information that shows the injustices of the North Korean regime.
SEOUL, KOREA, REPUBLIC OF South Korea s parliament on Monday approved contentious legislation criminalizing the flying of propaganda leaflets by balloon toward North Korea, despite fierce criticism that the country is sacrificing freedom of expression to improve ties with the rival North. The legislation passed with the support of 187 lawmakers, mostly governing party members who support President Moon Jae-in s policy of engagement with North Korea. Outnumbered opposition lawmakers didn t attend the vote after their attempt at delaying the balloting with nonstop speeches was foiled by governing party lawmakers and their allies who used their three-fifths supermajority to halt the speeches in a separate vote.