ID :
23341
Thu, 10/09/2008 - 09:57
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/23341
The shortlink copeid
Civic groups asked to refrain from flying leaflets to N. Korea
(ATTN: UPDATES with quotes by civic groups in paras 7-10)
By Shim Sun-ah
SEOUL, Oct. 8 (Yonhap) -- Seoul has asked local civic groups to refrain from flying propaganda leaflets into North Korea following a protest made by the communist state during a military meeting, officials said Wednesday.
The request is in line with Seoul's recent efforts to thaw icy relations with
Pyongyang.
"We recently requested that related organizations refrain from sending leaflets,"
Kim Ho-nyoun, spokesman for the Unification Ministry, told reporters. "Our
officials called the organizations to brief them on the content of recent
working-level military talks and current inter-Korean relations, and asked for
their cooperation."
The inter-Korean military talks held on Oct. 2 at the truce village of Panmunjom
were the first under the Lee Myung-bak administration. During the meeting, North
Korea demanded that Seoul criminally punish those responsible for distributing
the leaflets and promise to prevent any recurrence.
The two Koreas agreed in June 2004 to halt propaganda activities along the
inter-Korean border to reduce tension. But several civic groups that aid North
Korean defectors have been sending helium balloons carrying leaflets condemning
the communist government.
Pyongyang's delegation was quoted as saying that inaction could result in the
eviction of all South Koreans from the joint Kaesong industrial complex as well
as from the South Korean-developed resort at Mount Geumgang, just north of
Demilitarized Zone.
The civic groups, however, said they will continue to spread leaflets despite the
government's request for cooperation.
"We don't understand why the government intervenes in legitimate activities of a
human rights group in a society ruled by free democracy, based solely on claims
by the North," said Park Sang-hak, head of Fighters for Free North Korea. "We
will hold the event as scheduled," he said in reference to the group's plan to
fly balloons carrying about 100,000 leaflets over the North on Friday.
North Korea celebrates the 63rd anniversary of its Workers' Party on that day.
Another defector group said they will fly 50,000 leaflets over the west coast
city of Pocheon just south of the inter-Korean border, on Friday or Saturday.
Inter-Korean relations have deteriorated since the inauguration of President Lee,
a conservative who has been staunchly pro-U.S. Lee pledged to halt what he called
the "unconditional aid" that had flowed to the communist state under a decade of
liberal governance, unless Pyongyang agrees to denuclearize.
The president later softened his stance, but relations further degenerated after
a South Korean woman was shot dead by a North Korean soldier while visiting the
Mount Geumgang resort in early July.
Pyongyang has refused to apologize or cooperate in the investigation of the
shooting, and maintains that the woman was responsible for her death because she
wandered into a restricted military zone.
sshim@yna.co.kr
(END)
By Shim Sun-ah
SEOUL, Oct. 8 (Yonhap) -- Seoul has asked local civic groups to refrain from flying propaganda leaflets into North Korea following a protest made by the communist state during a military meeting, officials said Wednesday.
The request is in line with Seoul's recent efforts to thaw icy relations with
Pyongyang.
"We recently requested that related organizations refrain from sending leaflets,"
Kim Ho-nyoun, spokesman for the Unification Ministry, told reporters. "Our
officials called the organizations to brief them on the content of recent
working-level military talks and current inter-Korean relations, and asked for
their cooperation."
The inter-Korean military talks held on Oct. 2 at the truce village of Panmunjom
were the first under the Lee Myung-bak administration. During the meeting, North
Korea demanded that Seoul criminally punish those responsible for distributing
the leaflets and promise to prevent any recurrence.
The two Koreas agreed in June 2004 to halt propaganda activities along the
inter-Korean border to reduce tension. But several civic groups that aid North
Korean defectors have been sending helium balloons carrying leaflets condemning
the communist government.
Pyongyang's delegation was quoted as saying that inaction could result in the
eviction of all South Koreans from the joint Kaesong industrial complex as well
as from the South Korean-developed resort at Mount Geumgang, just north of
Demilitarized Zone.
The civic groups, however, said they will continue to spread leaflets despite the
government's request for cooperation.
"We don't understand why the government intervenes in legitimate activities of a
human rights group in a society ruled by free democracy, based solely on claims
by the North," said Park Sang-hak, head of Fighters for Free North Korea. "We
will hold the event as scheduled," he said in reference to the group's plan to
fly balloons carrying about 100,000 leaflets over the North on Friday.
North Korea celebrates the 63rd anniversary of its Workers' Party on that day.
Another defector group said they will fly 50,000 leaflets over the west coast
city of Pocheon just south of the inter-Korean border, on Friday or Saturday.
Inter-Korean relations have deteriorated since the inauguration of President Lee,
a conservative who has been staunchly pro-U.S. Lee pledged to halt what he called
the "unconditional aid" that had flowed to the communist state under a decade of
liberal governance, unless Pyongyang agrees to denuclearize.
The president later softened his stance, but relations further degenerated after
a South Korean woman was shot dead by a North Korean soldier while visiting the
Mount Geumgang resort in early July.
Pyongyang has refused to apologize or cooperate in the investigation of the
shooting, and maintains that the woman was responsible for her death because she
wandered into a restricted military zone.
sshim@yna.co.kr
(END)
