On Tuesday, legislation amending the Aviation Safety Act passed the National Assembly, spearheaded by the ruling Democratic Party and its allies. The bill prohibits the flight of unmanned balloons used for distributing leaflets to North Korea in no-fly zones.
During the plenary session, the amendment was approved with 156 votes in favor, 77 against, and 1 abstention out of 234 members present.
This new law bans the operation of unmanned free-floating devices in restricted airspace, regardless of their weight, and introduces penalties for violations. It includes exceptions for government-operated drones used in emergency response and allows balloons for weather monitoring and educational purposes.
The legislation stipulates that no unmanned devices can be launched in prohibited areas, such as near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), irrespective of their weight. Violators could face up to one year in prison or fines up to 10 million KRW (about 6,800 USD).
The opposition People Power Party views this bill as reminiscent of the Anti-Leaflet Law, which was ruled unconstitutional during the Moon Jae-in administration. The Constitutional Court had previously struck down that law, citing infringement on freedom of expression.
The People Power Party vehemently opposed the bill. During the debate, Representative Lee Jong-wook argued that this is a blatant legislative maneuver to resurrect the anti-leaflet law by circumventing the Constitutional Court’s ruling. Such an abuse of legislative power, which fails to align with its stated purpose, must be halted immediately.
He further stated that forcibly blocking leaflets to North Korea not only violates the citizens’ freedom of expression but also denies North Korean residents their right to information. This effectively supports the regime’s dictatorship and human rights abuses. What is the Democratic Party so afraid of that they seek to silence the people?
In response, Democratic Party members erupted in angry shouts, accusing the opposition of lying and labeling them as insurrectionists, traitors, and warmongers.
On the other hand, Democratic Party member Bok Gi-wang remarked that the fact that we’re even debating this bill highlights the backwardness of the political system. The unconstitutional aspects that completely suppressed freedom of expression have been addressed.
Bok added that while he doesn’t condone North Korea’s actions, the attempts to provoke war by sending drones and inciting conflict through civilian organizations will face historical judgment.
When Bok mentioned that residents in border areas were losing sleep due to fear, Representative Han Gi-ho, who represents a border district, countered that as a congressman from the border region, he can tell you that’s not true, leading to a heated exchange.