Government to push for meeting with ‘North Korean leaflet’ organization…likely to urge ‘stability in the situation’

Government with ‘situation management’ meets with organizations of North Korean defectors
Government won’t request restraint as before
North Korea not swayed by logic that ‘garbage balloons are due to leaflets’
Likely to indirectly urge restraint to avoid unnecessary provocation, “It is understood that the government is planning to hold a meeting with organizations that have been distributing leaflets to North Korea. While maintaining the existing position of respecting ‘freedom of expression’ without necessarily requesting ‘restraint in distribution,’ it is anticipated that the meeting will indirectly call for stability in the situation.”,
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, “According to the Ministry of Unification on the 11th, the government plans to hold a meeting with organizations of North Korean defectors that have been distributing leaflets to North Korea. Currently, they are confirming the attendance for the meeting and coordinating the schedule. The Ministry of Unification is known to have maintained communication with North Korean defector organizations by frequently exchanging contacts. The explanation from the Ministry of Unification is that arranging a ‘face-to-face’ meeting separately aims to continue close communication.”,
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North Korean defectors flying leaflets [Image Source=Yonhap News],
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, ‘An official from the Ministry of Unification stated, “We plan to meet with related organizations as quickly as possible to have in-depth discussions.” They explained, “Rather than gathering all organizations in one place, we intend to continue meeting with as many as possible and conduct meetings ‘one-on-one’ if necessary, to continue the interactions.”‘,
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, “As a pretext for North Korea’s repeated large-scale release of sewage balloons, North Korean defector organizations began further distributing leaflets after 6 years, and our government also responded by reactivating the loudspeakers to North Korea. As North Korea continues to release sewage balloons repeatedly, military tensions in border areas are escalating.”,
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, ‘Given the situation, there is high interest in the agenda of the meeting. An official from the Ministry of Unification emphasized that “there is no change in the government’s position regarding North Korean leaflets.” They stressed that they do not plan to request restraint in leaflet distribution at this meeting.’,
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, “Last year, the Constitutional Court made an unconstitutional decision on the ‘North Korean Leaflet Ban Law’ enacted during the Moon Jae-in administration. This was the amendment to the North-South Relations Development Act, known as the ‘Kim Yo-jong Order Law.’ The Constitutional Court’s judgment states that ‘freedom of expression’ and ‘the rights of North Korean residents to know’ must be respected, and the distribution of leaflets should not be prohibited or punished by law. In line with this, the government finds it difficult to request restraint.”,
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The Joint Chiefs of Staff recently conducted actual training in forward areas to prepare for an immediate resumption of North Korean broadcasts, 9th [Image Source=Yonhap News],
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, “However, the government is focusing on managing the situation without activating additional loudspeakers after resuming North Korean broadcasts on the 9th. In this context, there is an expectation that through face-to-face meetings, the government will indirectly convey a message of ‘stability in the situation’ without making a ‘restraint request.'”,
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, ‘A government official commented, “We should not be swayed by North Korea’s forced logic that the release of sewage balloons is due to North Korean leaflets” and “There have been many organizations that have been secretly distributing leaflets for a long time, and North Korea has not always raised issues or provoked at that time.” They further stated, “It is necessary to avoid unnecessarily publicizing some leaflet distributions or excessively provoking North Korea to induce countermeasures.”‘,
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