S. Korea urges halt to anti-North leaflets in shift toward de-escalation

The government is drawing a new line on one of the peninsula's most volatile flashpoints, leaflet launches into North Korea.

And for the first time in years, Seoul is urging activists to stop.

Our North Korean affairs correspondent Kim Jung-sil reports.

South Korea's new administration is taking its first public steps to reduce tensions with North Korea: formally urging civic groups to stop launching anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border.

"The first step in reducing tensions and rebuilding trust between the two Koreas is stopping the leaflet launches and the loudspeaker broadcasts."

The Ministry of Unification's call came after a civic group, representing families of North Korean abductees, carried out a third leaflet launch this year, despite multiple calls for restraint.

"These actions heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula and endanger the lives and safety of residents near the border. We strongly urge an end to leaflet launches."

It's the first formal appeal since South Korea's Constitutional Court struck down the leaflet ban in 2023 on free speech grounds.

While the Yoon Suk-yeol administration tolerated the launches, President Lee Jae-myung appears to be signaling a clear policy reversal.

"Even during his campaign, President Lee pledged to manage situations that could trigger inter-Korean clashes. That included restoring previous measures like the ban on anti-North leaflets and loudspeaker broadcasts, and the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement."

Leaflets have long been a flashpoint, used by both Koreas as psychological warfare since the peninsula was divided.

South Korea ended its state-run campaigns in 2000, but defector-led groups picked up where the government left off.

After a 2020 ban was overturned in court, the skies reopened to civic activity, prompting North Korea to retaliate with its own balloon launches carrying trash.

After years of policy drift, the new government is renewing calls for restraint, citing public safety.

Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.