Rodong

Dec. 30 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s Unification Ministry said Tuesday that the public can now read North Korea’s state newspaper Rodong Sinmun at 181 designated outlets without special procedures such as separate identity checks or prior applications.

Vice Unification Minister Kim Nam-joong said at a briefing that visitors to institutions authorized to handle North Korean materials may view Rodong Sinmun “like any other general publication.” He said the ministry plans to broaden access to North Korea-related information so the public can independently compare and assess it.

The ministry said 181 institutions hold copies of Rodong Sinmun, with about 20 purchasing it regularly. It said anyone visiting those outlets may view the copies held there and that some procedures, including requirements tied to copying materials, have been simplified.

Rules governing the import of Rodong Sinmun into South Korea remain unchanged under customs regulations, the ministry said. Institutions not authorized to handle special materials still cannot import the paper, it said, adding it plans to discuss easing related restrictions with other agencies.

The ministry said it also plans to seek legal changes aimed at opening access to Rodong Sinmun and other North Korea-related sites online. About 60 North Korea-linked websites are currently blocked in South Korea, including Rodong Sinmun and the Korean Central News Agency, it said.

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young previously said the government would pursue a legal framework to expand access to North Korean materials, including broadcasts and publications. The ministry said an interagency consultative body met Dec. 26 and notified relevant agencies that Rodong Sinmun had been reclassified as general material, allowing broader public access.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Dec. 26 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s Unification Ministry said Friday it will move ahead next week with administrative steps to make North Korea’s state newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, publicly accessible.

The ministry said a consultative meeting of supervisory agencies held Friday confirmed a consensus to reclassify Rodong Sinmun from “special materials” to “general materials,” clearing the way for broader public access.

Participants in the meeting included the Ministry of Unification, the National Intelligence Service, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Communications Commission.

Following completion of required administrative procedures, including the issuance of official notices to supervisory and handling agencies, the ministry said the reclassification will take effect next week.

Deputy Unification Ministry spokesperson Jang Yun-jeong said earlier Friday that the government has been reviewing ways to expand public access to North Korean materials. She noted that many such materials, including Rodong Sinmun, are currently designated as special materials and can be handled only by authorized agencies.

In a written response submitted Thursday to the office of Yoon Gun-young, the intelligence service said it plans to decide on reclassification through interagency consultations, citing the public’s right to know and the promotion of inter-Korean exchanges.

The Unification Ministry also said it is pushing to amend the Information and Communications Network Act and enact a separate law on the management and use of North Korean materials, a move that would allow access to North Korean websites and publications such as Rodong Sinmun.

President Lee Jae-myung has said the public should not be treated as inherently vulnerable to propaganda or agitation.

The plan has drawn mixed reactions. Some experts have urged a cautious, phased opening of North Korean media, while others have called for countermeasures against Pyongyang’s sophisticated propaganda efforts and warned of potential cybersecurity risks from North Korean websites.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.