Find a solution to the balloon dilemma

HAN YOUNG-IK
The author is a national news reporter of the JoongAng Ilbo.

The ban on sending leaflets to North Korea, which was unilaterally passed by the Democratic Party in December 2020, was scrapped after less than three years. The law that punishes the leaflet dispatch with an imprisonment of less than three years and a fine up to 30 million won ($21,832) was found to be unconstitutional by seven out of nine Constitutional Court judges because the ban constitutes an “excessive restriction of freedom of speech.” As three liberal judges also supported the abolition, the controversy that lasted more than two years subsided.

But in less than a year, the leaflet debate resurfaced. North Korea began sending waste-filled balloons on May 28, and South Korean civic groups are flying leaflets to the North in return. The residents in the border areas are anxious, recalling the memory of 2014 when the North responded by firing anti-aircraft guns. The public opinion in favor of banning the dispatch of leaflets to the North is growing in the South. U.S. Ambassador to Korea Philip Goldberg said Tuesday that he believes in the freedom of speech, but tension should be eased, not elevated. He indirectly expressed concerns over the leaflets to North Korea.

At this point, it is common sense for the government to seek solutions. The Ministry of Unification, which is in charge of the issue, only reiterated the principle that it is approaching the issue by respecting the Constitutional Court decision. National Police Commissioner Yoon Hee-geun said that there are no grounds to block leaflet distribution. In other words, the authorities just leave the issue unattended.

Rather than sitting on the sidelines, we should find ways to respect the Constitutional Court decision while controlling the leaflet dispatch. The Constitutional Court also pointed out that the government can ensure the safety of the residents in the border region through appropriate responses other than punishment.

People who initially opposed the ban also say that a reckless dispatch should be discouraged. The policy must reflect those who are in the gray area. The government must also find ways to assure the anxious residents in the border area. If the president cares about such details, his approval rating currently in jeopardy will rebound.