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Americans attempting to float rice, Bibles to North claim 'missionary purposes,' police say

Published: 27 Jun. 2025, 20:21 Updated: 27 Jun. 2025, 21:13

A North Korean village is pictured as seen from Ganghwa Island, Incheon, on Oct. 15, 2024. [NEWS1]

South Korean authorities arrested six American men early Friday for attempting to send plastic bottles filled with rice and religious materials toward North Korea from Ganghwa Island, Incheon. The suspects told police they were carrying out missionary work, according to statements obtained by the JoongAng Ilbo.

The Incheon Ganghwa Police Station confirmed that the participants were apprehended near Mangwoldondae, a watchtower in Ganghwa County.

Six under investigation for attempting to send bottles of dollar bills and rice to North Korea

Officers interrupted the group, made up of U.S. passport holders in their 20s to 50s, as they prepared to launch over 1,300 plastic bottles into the sea at around 1:06 a.m. The containers held items including rice, U.S. one-dollar bills, Bibles and USB sticks.

Ganghwa County has been designated a high-risk security zone since November of last year, and local ordinances currently ban the distribution of propaganda materials toward North Korea.

A military sentry spotted the group along the coastline and alerted local police.

All six had reportedly entered South Korea two to three months ago.

Investigators, working with an interpreter, questioned the suspects and learned that they were attempting to send the Bible to the North for missionary purposes, according to the initial probe.

Police have yet to determine whether they are affiliated with any registered missionary organization.

Police officers conduct security checks on vehicles at Choji Bridge in Ganghwa Island, Incheon, on June 18 as part of efforts to prevent the launch of anti-North Korea leaflets in border areas. [YONHAP]

The case has since been handed over to the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency, which is continuing the investigation. Authorities plan to pursue charges under the Framework Act on the Management of Disasters and Safety, which bans potentially destabilizing activities in designated restricted zones.

This is not the first time foreigners have attempted to send religious materials into North Korea.

In June 2020, Eric Foley, a pastor leading the missionary group Voice of the Martyrs Korea, launched four balloons carrying Bibles across the border.

At the time, Foley emphasized during a press conference that his group’s activities were distinct from political leaflet campaigns, stating, “Our sole purpose in releasing these balloons is to deliver Bibles to the North.”

In response to Friday’s incident, the Incheon police established a dedicated task force to counter future attempts to send materials across the border.

The unit, headed by the department's director of public safety, includes officials from the agency's national security, intelligence, crime prevention and traffic divisions. During its inaugural meeting Friday, the task force discussed minimizing civilian inconvenience during vehicle inspections and ramping up cooperation with other agencies.

“We will strengthen coordination with relevant bodies to completely block these leaflet operations and respond strictly to any violations according to the law,” a police spokesperson said.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY LEE YOUNG-KEUN [[email protected]]