Seoul urges restraint by anti-DPRK protesters

Civilian groups dropping leaflets across border risk being fired at

The Republic of Korea called on Friday for self-restraint from civic groups flying leaflets against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea across the border, though it reiterated that the government cannot forcibly ban the scattering of the anti-DPRK leaflets.

Unification Ministry spokesman Lim Byeong-cheol said at a briefing that there is no change in the basic stance over the anti-DPRK leaflets dispersion that the government cannot forcibly restrict civic groups dropping such leaflets.

Lim, however, stressed that civic groups should act based on a prudent and cautious judgment to ensure the safety of South Koreans amid the DPRK's threat of firing on civic groups dropping the leaflets.

The DPRK's official KCNA news agency reported on Thursday that it will fire on the South Korean civic groups dispersing leaflets that denounce the DPRK regime and top leader Kim Jong-un.

Some conservative civic groups in ROK recently announced their plan to drop anti-DPRK leaflets on Oct 25 in areas near the western inter-Korean land border, causing the DPRK's threat to fire at them.

On Oct 10, the DPRK forces fired machine guns at balloons carrying anti-DPRK leaflets released by a South Korean civic organization, triggering an exchange of fire between the two Koreas.

Pyongyang repeatedly called for a halt to the spreading of leaflets, accusing Seoul of supporting and acquiescing to their distribution.

The ROK has denied the DPRK's allegations, saying it was groundless to claim the authorities had any involvement in the leaflets.

No change to stance

Also on Friday, the ROK said that there was no change during the Oct 15 dialogue in the DPRK's stance over the sinking of a battleship and shelling of an ROK border island.

General-level military officials from the two Koreas held a "closed-door" meeting on Wednesday at the truce village of Panmunjom.

The ROK delegation made it clear during the talks that it held the DPRK responsible for the two incidents and Pyongyang offered no apology, the official said.

The ROK Navy corvette Cheonan sank in waters near the disputed western sea boundary in March 2010.

Seoul has claimed it was caused by a DPRK torpedo attack, and Pyongyang has denied involvement.

In November 2010, the DPRK shelled the Yeonpyeong Island, one of the five border islands near the western sea border, killing two civilians and two marines.

The ROK has demanded that the DPRK take responsibility for the two incidents, saying that could be a precondition for lifting the so-called May 24 sanctions imposed by Seoul in 2010 after the warship sank.

Seoul called for the Oct 15 meeting not to be disclosed at an early stage when the DPRK proposed the talks on Oct 7, when naval ships of the two Koreas exchanged fire near the disputed sea border.

The official said the ROK demanded a "closed-door" meeting at that time as it was a sensitive period in inter-Korean relations due to the exchange of naval gunfire.

(China Daily 10/18/2014 page11)