Leaflets, money float towards N. Korea on leader's birthday

PAJU, South Korea, Feb. 16 (Yonhap) -- Defying stern warnings from the local
government, South Korean activists sent money and anti-Kim Jong-il propaganda
leaflets floating across the DMZ on Monday, the birthday of the North Korean
leader.

The activists, mostly family members of South Koreans allegedly abducted by the
North, released two large balloons carrying roughly 20,000 leaflets near the
border town of Paju. Among the fliers were 30 North Korean bills of the highest
denomination, 5,000 won.
The activists said they had originally planned to fly 100,000 leaflets, together
with 420 5,000-won bills, but scaled down the event due to unfavorable weather
conditions. About 10 people participated.
The leaflet campaign first started in 2004 and was inspired by tactics used by
Seoul's intelligence agency during the Cold War era.
"Following the government's request, we stopped sending the leaflets for three
months but the situation has gotten worse," Park Sang-hak, a North Korean
defector and head of the Seoul-based Freedom Fighters for North Korea, said
during the event.
Asked about the timing of the event, Park said, "I chose Kim's birthday after
being reminded that North Korea has given out gifts to its people on its leader's
birthday."
In Pyongyang, citizens were celebrating and renewing pledges of loyalty on the
leader's birthday, according to the North's Korea Central News Agency. Kim also
appeared to be back in full command of the government after a reportedly
debilitating stroke last summer.
The activists began attaching US$1 bills to the fliers in April last year. But
rumors that authorities were incarcerating those found with $1 notes prompted
them to replace them with North Korean currency.
"There are no legal problems, as we are trying to send money to our families in
the North," said Choi Sung-yong, head of Family Assembly Abducted to North Korea,
a Seoul-based group.
Choi, however, said his group will comply with police investigations regarding
the unauthorized possession of the North Korean currency.
The South's unification ministry has expressed concern that the campaign may
provoke Pyongyang to take aggressive countermeasures, given the currently frozen
ties with Seoul following the launch of the conservative government last year.
Possession of North Korean currency for non-trade uses is illegal in South Korea.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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