South Korea's government said today that it will press charges against two activist groups that have been floating anti-Pyongyang leaflets and bottles filled with rice to North Korea. Any action against the groups is likely to trigger a debate over freedom of expression in South Korea, and whether President Moon Jae-in's liberal government is sacrificing democratic principles to keep alive his ambitions for inter-Korean engagement. The announcement by Seoul's Unification Ministry came a day after North Korea said it was cutting off all communication channels with South Korea over its inability to prevent North Korean defectors and other activists from flying the leaflets across the border. For years, activists have floated huge balloons into North Korea carrying leaflets criticizing leader Kim Jong Un over his nuclear ambitions and dismal human rights record. The leafleting has sometimes triggered a furious response from North Korea, which bristles at any attempt to undermine its leadership.-Ap

Source: The Standard June 10, 2020 10:11 UTC