Seoul: South Korea's military disseminated propaganda leaflets to North Korea 23 times last year during the administration of ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, a lawmaker disclosed on Wednesday.
According to Anadolu Agency, the revelation was made by the office of ruling party member Choo Mi-ae, based on findings from a Defense Ministry investigation. Former President Yoon is accused of deploying drones to North Korea in an effort to incite a retaliatory response, which would purportedly serve as a justification for declaring martial law in December 2024.
In October 2023, the National Security Council sanctioned the resumption of leaflet operations, scheduled between February and November 2024, preceding Yoon's failed attempt to enforce martial law on December 3. This directive was influenced by a Constitutional Court decision in September 2023, which annulled a ban on such campaigns, emphasizing the right to freedom of expression. The operations had been previously halted since July 2017.
The decision to resume operations was made during a security council meeting attended by prominent officials, including then-Defense Minister Shin Won-sik and then-Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho. However, the specific motivations for this decision remain undisclosed. Subsequent to the council's approval, the military's propaganda unit targeted 35 areas, including key cities like Pyongyang and Wonsan, as well as military bases, for leaflet distribution from February to November 2024.
This revelation comes in the wake of a special counsel's investigation, which determined that Yoon had been preparing for martial law since October 2023, over a year prior to its official declaration in December 2024. South Korea's National Assembly quickly annulled the martial law within approximately six hours of its declaration, leading to Yoon's impeachment and suspension on December 14.
In January, Yoon was arrested and charged with orchestrating an insurrection, marking the first time a sitting president was detained. Although released in March, Yoon was re-arrested in July and remains in custody. The Constitutional Court formally removed him from office in April.