The government will deploy police mobile units in border areas and review legislative amendments to take strong measures to prevent the distribution of North Korean leaflets.

Choi Seong-ryong, the representative of the Family Assembly Abducted to North Korea, holds a press conference regarding the distribution of leaflets towards the North in front of the Government Seoul Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 16th. The Family Assembly Abducted to North Korea states that they will continue sending newsletters about families kidnapped to North Korea since the government is unable to confirm the survival of abductees, and they will send newsletters until a response arrives. /Courtesy of News1

The Ministry of Unification stated on the 16th that it plans to enhance police deployment and regulatory adjustments to preemptively prevent the distribution of North Korean leaflets immediately following a meeting with related ministries. This is a follow-up action to President Lee Jae-myung's directive for strict measures against leaflet-distributing organizations issued on the 14th.

Officials from related ministries, including the Ministry of Unification, the National Security Office, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Korean National Police Agency, as well as local government representatives from border areas such as Gyeonggi Province and Incheon met for the conference.

It is reported that participants agreed on the importance of protecting the lives and safety of residents in border areas and the peace of the Korean Peninsula, and discussed measures to prevent the distribution of North Korean leaflets and punitive actions afterwards. The Ministry of Unification explained that there were serious concerns regarding the continued distribution of leaflets even after the government clarified its position on halting their distribution.

Accordingly, the police plan to not only deploy local police but also mobile units in key border areas to prevent leaflet distribution, and strengthen patrols in areas anticipated for leaflet dissemination by special municipal prosecutors, thus activating a system for constant mobilization in designated hazardous zones.

In addition, it has been confirmed that current laws such as the Aviation Safety Act, the Basic Disaster and Safety Management Act, the High-Pressure Gas Safety Management Act, and the Marine Areas Management Act can be applied to leaflet distribution activities, and it has also been decided to review the establishment of specific provisions and legislative amendments to enhance the effectiveness of punishment.

The Ministry of Unification plans to communicate frequently with civic organizations and demand a halt to the distribution. Additionally, it plans to support cooperation with the National Assembly to ensure that the amendment to the Act on the Development of Inter-Korean Relations is processed before Liberation Day.

The Constitutional Court previously ruled unconstitutional the amendment to the Act on the Development of Inter-Korean Relations that prohibited the distribution of North Korean leaflets in September 2023. Based on this, efforts to amend the law are being pursued in a way that effectively blocks leaflet distribution without raising constitutional concerns.

The Ministry of Unification stated, "In accordance with the government's comprehensive plan, we will strongly request civic organizations to halt leaflet distribution through guidance and education, thereby fostering a peaceful atmosphere on the Korean Peninsula and ensuring the lives and safety of residents in border areas."