THE KUKMIN DAILY

Tension between South and North Korea is escalating since North Korea opened fire on October 10 at balloons carrying propaganda leaflets, sent by a South Korean civilian organization from Yeoncheon region, Gyeonggi-do. Following that, on October 25-26 near Imjingak, there was a clash among South Koreans as conservative organizations tried to launch leaflet balloons while local residents and progressive organizations tried to stop them. The launchers insist they will continue sending up the balloons, but more and more voices are calling for a stop to this activity for the sake of people’s safety. Kukmin Daily listened to pro and con opinions on the matter through contributions from church circles.

Reporter Yeong Dae Yoo (ydyoo@kmib.co.kr), with Yeara Ahn-Park (yap@kmib.co.kr)


[Pro] “Balloons to North” Group* Director Missionary Lee Min-bok (Left in photo): “It is necessary for opening up closed North Korea”

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North Korea is the only place that does not allow radio or the Internet. Against such extreme blockage, launching balloons is the only way to penetrate into that land freely.

Why has North Korea become a closed land? Why is it not opening up for reform? Because it seeks to idolize its leader and continue governance based on hatred. That is also the reason why it considers Christianity an enemy, as our religion is against idol worship and commands, “Love your neighbor.”

Even Hitler of Germany under the Nazis, Stalin of the former USSR, and Mao Tsetung were not so exclusive. North Korea survives inside an incubator of closedness. The North Korean government relies for its life on being closed. Reform, therefore, is fundamentally impossible there.

Residents of North Korea are brainwashed to hate South Korea and the United States. As long as this hatred occupies them, peace is not possible. We are sending true news to them to solve their idol worship and hatred based on faulty brainwashing. Launching balloons with leaflets, therefore, is a pure and basic human rights movement to open their eyes and ears. It is also pure Gospel communication to spread religion in the land of no religion.

No efforts can succeed without penetrating into blocked North Korea. The history of the divided Korean Peninsula proves this. Two occasions of summit talks, the sunshine policy, and even the six-party talks were not able to unlock North Korea’s closed door. The balloons, however, make it possible, because they are an apparatus that is not detected by radar. This also does not violate the Constitution’s guarantee of the right to express.

(* The Balloons to North Group is part of the Campaign for Helping North Korean in Direct Ways.)


[Con] CCL Peace Church Rev. Lee Jeok (Right in photo): “It threatens people’s safety and only brings conflict.”

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The reason I’m against dispersing propaganda leaflets to North Korea is that it increases conflicts between South and North, and among the people of the South as well, and threatens the right to life. The launching of leaflet balloons should stop immediately, to remove a key cause of conflict and protect citizens' safety.

If the army declares a state of emergency due to the consequences of the leaflets’ dispersal, we will have to stop working, escape and hide. The economic damage will also be great. Who will visit for sightseeing if bullets are flying and bombs are falling? North Korea declared that it would open fire if more leaflets are sent. Why do we have to let ourselves be hit by bullets? Peace should come first.

If balloons with propaganda leaflets are launched again now when the resumption of high-level talks between South and North Korea is planned, we may not be able to avoid physical conflict, let alone resuming talks. Obviously the launching of leaflet balloons needs to be restricted, as it acts against our mission for peaceful reunification, stated clearly in the Constitution. Our government says that it cannot legally restrain this activity. Sending the leaflets and U.S. dollars via balloons, however, is an obvious violation of the South-North Exchange and Cooperation Act and the Foreign Exchange Control Law.

It is also questionable whether dispersing leaflets is even effective, as claimed by its supporters. I have heard that a few persons have come to South Korea as a result of reading such leaflets. Even if they have, is this a sufficient reason to test North Korea’s threat to shoot at the South? If you want to save North Korean residents, visit them in North Korea yourselves. Meet them, and you can see their hardships and help them.

We do not want to be threatened by potential war in the name of democratizing North Korea. We need to ponder once again on whether or not dispersing leaflets is a proper way to save North Korea.