North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, had cautioned South Korea to prevent defectors from spreading leaflets that allegedly criticized the North. She added that that activity could potentially cancel a recent bilateral military agreement if it continues.
Kim Jong-un's unofficial chief of staff, Kim Yo Jong, had given the South a warning written in a statement that KCNA news agency carried on Thursday, as reported by News Hub.
'Anti-North' movements
The activity claims that thousands of "anti-DPRK leaflets" titled "Defectors from the North" that escapees discarded on the north side of the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) is the official name of North Korea.
KCNA reported that if the activity that North Korea officials consider to be an act of evil intention was allowed to be spread and take its own course hiding behind a pretext of "freedom of individuals" and "freedom of expression," then South Korean authorities have to take responsibility in facing the worst phase.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Kim Yo Jong warned the South Korean government that they could pull out of the 2018 agreement where both sides agreed to tone down military tensions and to withdraw from an inter-Korean industrial park and liaison office.
Seoul officials quickly replied by announcing that they would pursue legislation that would ban spreading anti-north leaflets. Seoul's unification ministry said that the leaflets were mostly dropped from the sky by the use of drones or balloons and, as such, pose an environmental risk to the country. One spokesman said that the leaflets are damaging and do more harm than good.
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The "Fighters for A Free North Korea" is a group that is responsible for spreading the leaflets and is a South Korea-based human rights group that works alongside defectors and advocates to call out for open democracy.
Park Sang-Hak, the head of the group, said they had sent the leaflets 11 times last year and, more notably, on April 9 of this year. He added that he has freedom of expression as a citizen of South Korea and saying that "The purpose is to tell the North Koreans the truth."
Rising tensions
The relationship between North and South Korea have been on shaky grounds as Pyongyang denied Seoul's frequent attempts to negotiate over health care and several other advantageous fronts.
Last month, South Korean President Moon Jae-in promised to continue pursuing the coordination of both North and South Korea until they are accepted.
Former South Korean National Security Council official, Cheon Seong-whun, said that the relationship between the two sides would not significantly develop until the North Korean regime sees the outcome of the United States elections in November. "South Korea has nothing to give," he added.
Kim Yo Jong's state-media missive is a reminder of her recent rise in importance as it marked her third since March. Thursday wording, however, which wrote to call defectors as human scum that are a little short of being considered wild animals, along with her threats, point out the tactics that the North have used against the South throughout history.
