In an effort to improve inter-border relations, the South Korean parliament had voted to ban the movement of anti-North leaflets into North Korea. This comes after the North Korean government ramped up its condemnation of the leaflets, which are mostly carried over the border by balloon or by river, along with other items including money, medicine, food, and USB sticks contains South Korean media. North Korean defector, Park Sang-hak, says he will not obey the new government ordinance and that he will continue in his 15-year campaign to spread information to the North. By doing so, he faces the possible penalty of three years in prison.
While the new order to ban leaflets passed by a super-majority through parliament, opposition leaders worry that this may be just one of the first in a series of future misguided capitulations to the North in the pursuit of improving relations. Humans rights leaders point out how the bill (now made law) seeks to ban the flow and spread of information, which is an obvious infringement of basic human rights. However, Moon Jae-in and the South Korean Majority party argue instead that the move is merely attempting to lessen tensions at the border and reduce the risk of future conflict. It is seen as a necessary conciliatory measure in order to save lives.