Unification minister urges 'prudent' stance for anti-Pyongyang leafleting

Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho called for a "prudent" approach Monday to sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border, in an apparent shift from an earlier stance on the campaign led by South Korean activists that Pyongyang has bristled at.

Kim emphasized the importance of public safety, in what appeared to be efforts to prevent possible risks that could further heighten inter-Korean tensions amid a leadership vacuum following a parliamentary vote to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol.

"In regard to the anti-Pyongyang leaflet issue, we seek to concentrate efforts to manage the situation by prioritizing the people's lives and safety," Kim told a session of the parliamentary foreign affairs and unification committee.

"We have requested activist groups on Thursday to make prudent judgments," he added.

Kim's remarks draw a sharp contrast to the ministry's earlier stance of prioritizing the right of freedom of expression in line with a Constitutional Court decision.

Last year, the Constitutional Court ruled that a clause banning leaflet launches in the law on the development of inter-Korean relations is unconstitutional, saying it excessively restricts the right to freedom of expression.

The decision paved the way for North Korean defectors and activists to resume their leaflet campaigns toward North Korea. In retaliation, the North has sent thousands of trash-filled balloons into the South since late May.

In a report to the parliamentary committee, the unification ministry noted that the Choson Sinbo, a pro-North Korean newspaper based in Japan, has reported on U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's reelection in a Nov. 25 report.

Pyongyang's state media have yet to report on the outcome of the U.S. presidential election. (Yonhap)