S Korea stops anti-North leaflet drop after threats

Posted October 22, 2012 16:27:17

South Korean troops and riot police have prevented activists from sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border after North Korea threatened a "merciless" military response.

Groups of North Korean defectors had planned to launch balloons carrying 200,000 propaganda leaflets from Imjingak Park on the border near the town of Paju, 60 kilometres north of Seoul.

But they were stopped in their tracks by a roadblock of police vehicles and security personnel who refused to let anyone approach the area.

"For security reasons, the activists were not allowed to launch balloons from the park," a police official said.

There were some minor scuffles as the activists sought to push through the roadblock, and a number of them refused to leave even after the scheduled launch time had passed.

"This event has been authorised by the government. This is ridiculous," complained Park Sang-Hak, one of the organisers, who blamed president Lee Myung-Bak for caving in to pressure from Pyongyang.


Last Friday, the North Korean army had threatened a "merciless military strike" on the park if the balloon launch went ahead and had warned local residents to evacuate the area.

Leaflet drops are relatively common and North Korea has threatened action in the past, but the statement was unusually strong with its specific naming of the time and location, coupled with the evacuation warning.

It was also the first time such a precise threat had been made under North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who took over after the death last December of his father, Kim Jong-il.

Troops in the South had been placed on high alert and the Yonhap news agency reported the deployment of additional artillery and tank units to forward border positions.

Seoul's defence ministry spokesman said the army was closely monitoring the situation and was ready to respond to any provocation.


Topics: world-politics, korea-republic-of, korea-democratic-people-s-republic-of