S. Korea urges civic groups not to distribute anti-DPRK leaflets in areas near MDL

SEOUL, May 4 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's government on Friday urged civic groups not to distribute leaflets criticizing the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in areas near the military demarcation line (MDL), as the leaders of the two Koreas agreed to stop hostile acts.

Seoul's unification ministry said in a statement that South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un agreed to stop all hostile acts in areas near the MDL, including the dispersion of anti-DPRK leaflets, from May 1.

Under the Panmunjom Declaration, the government had asked civic groups to stop floating leaflets into the DPRK, but some maintained its stance to distribute the anti-DPRK leaflets and announced plans to massively disperse such leaflets on Saturday, the ministry said.

It will violate the spirit of the declaration, which Moon and Kim signed and announced after holding the third inter-Korean summit in the village of Panmunjom on April 27 for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula, according to the statement.

The ministry said the leaflet dispersion escalate military tensions and serve as a cause of clash near the MDL, noting that it will be desirable to immediately stop such acts to ease military tensions and settle peace on the peninsula.

It noted that such acts must be stopped for safety of people living near the MDL.

The ministry planned to ask the police to actively prevent civic groups from scattering anti-DPRK leaflets, saying it will actively communicate with civic groups. Enditem