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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

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