South Korea called on its northern rival to suspend its plan to send propaganda leaflets across the border. Park’s brother, also an activist, last week canceled plans to release bottles filled with dried rice and face masks from a front-line island. He previously said he would push to drop a million leaflets over the border around Thursday, the 70th anniversary of the start of the Korean War.Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inboxThis material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Experts say Pyongyang is likely using the leafleting to apply more pressure on Seoul and Washington and force new talks. Hongcheon police said they couldn’t immediately confirm the report.In recent weeks, North Korea has unleashed insults against leafleting activists like Park, describing them as “human scum” and “mongrel dogs.” It said it would also take a series of steps to nullify 2018 tension-reduction deals with South Korea. On Monday, North Korea’s state media said it had manufactured 12 million propaganda leaflets to be floated toward South Korea in what it said would be the largest-ever anti-Seoul leafleting campaignExperts say North Korea is likely using the South Korean civilian leafleting as a chance to boost its internal unity and apply more pressures on Seoul and Washington amid stalled nuclear diplomacy. Seoul: Floating leaflets into North Korea threatens lives in South.

(Yang Ji-woong/Yonhap via AP)Connect with the definitive source for global and local news The move is certain to intensify already high tensions between the Koreas. Activists have been sending the leaflets into North Korea for years to slam strongman Kim Jong Un ’s nuclear program and human rights record. North Korea recently abruptly raised its fiery rhetoric against South Korean civilian leafleting, destroyed a Seoul-built liaison office on its territory and pushed to resume its psychological warfare against the South. The animosity intensified Monday when the North pushed to resume its psychological warfare against the South, saying it was ready to float 12 million leaflets of its own across the border.South Korea has since vowed to ban leafleting and said they would press charges against Park and other anti-Pyongyang activists for allegedly raising animosities and potentially endangering front-line border residents.Gordon Chang on the kid sister who could take over North Korea.Gyeonggi province official Kim Min-yeong said the province will demand the police investigate Park if his leafleting is confirmed. (Yang Ji-woong/Yonhap via AP)Connect with the definitive source for global and local news Seoul’s Unification Ministry, which handles relations with North Korea, issued a separate statement expressing “deep regret” over Park’s attempt to send leaflets.Calling North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “an evil” and his rule “barbarism,” Park said he will keep sending anti-Kim leaflets.“Though North Korean residents have become modern-day slaves with no basic rights, don’t they have the right to know the truth?” he said.South Korean officials have vowed to ban leafleting and said they will press charges against Park and other anti-North Korea activists for allegedly raising animosities and potentially endangering border residents. While Seoul has sometimes sent police to block activists from leafleting during sensitive times, it had previously resisted North Korea’s calls for a ban, saying the activists were exercising their freedom of speech.Seoul’s recent moves against leafleting have drawn criticism that the government is sacrificing democratic principles to keep alive its push for inter-Korean engagement.

A large banner that Park said was flown to North Korea with the leaflets Monday shows an image of Kim Il Sung and accuses him of “the slaughter of (the Korean) people” and urges North Koreans to rise up against the Kim family’s rule, according to photos distributed by Park.At least one of the banners and a balloon with leaflets were found to have landed in Hongcheon, a South Korean town southeast of Paju, not in North Korea, Yonhap news agency reported. The penalty for violations is a year in prison or a maximum 10 million won ($8,200) fine.Meanwhile, Park has accused South Korea’s liberal government of sympathizing with North Korea or caving to its threats. As Otto Warmbier is honored, new warnings that Kim Jong Un will again target Americans. A balloon carrying a banner with images of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, the late leader Kim Il Sung, center, and Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of Kim Jong Un, released by Fighters For Free North Korea, is seen in Hongcheon, South Korea, Tuesday, June 23, 2020. While Seoul has sometimes sent police to block activists from leafleting during sensitive times, it had previously resisted North Korea’s calls for a ban, saying the activists were exercising their freedom of speech.Seoul’s recent moves against leafleting have drawn criticism that the government is sacrificing democratic principles to keep alive its push for inter-Korean engagement. By. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s government said Wednesday that it will press charges against two activist groups that have been floating anti-Pyongyang leaflets … (Yang Ji-woong/Yonhap via AP)