North Korea to send 12 million leaflets to South Korea in retaliation

(Update 1: adds more info)

By Andres Sanchez Braun

Seoul, Jun 22 (efe-epa).- North Korea is planning to send some 12 million propaganda leaflets to South Korea through balloons as, “retaliatory punishment,” following similar actions carried out by activists in the South, Pyongyang state-media said on Monday.

The North Korean regime led by Kim Jong-un threatened with this measure after rejecting a dialog proposal with the South last week and announced its plans to remilitarize the border between the two countries following the anti-regime propaganda leaflets sent via balloons to the North, which according to Pyongyang, violate the 2018 bilateral agreement.

“The preparations for the largest-ever distribution of leaflets against the enemy are almost complete,” state news agency KCNA said in a statement.

It further added that it was a retaliation, “against those who hurt and made an intolerable insult about their most sacred mental core and to make them pay dearly for their crime.”

Pyongyang has published some 12 million leaflets which reflect, “the wrath and hatred of the people from all walks of life.”

KCNA said that North Korea has prepared various equipments including 3,000 balloons which would be used to scatter leaflets in South Korea.

The official news agency however did not specify the date of distribution of these leaflets prepared by the North Korean regime, which is the latest measure announced by Pyongyang following the destruction of the inter-Korean liaison office and redeployment of its troops at the shared border.

North Korea also refused dialog with South Korea and hardened its tone with its neighboring country, to which Seoul responded with a tougher stance than usual and expressing concern.