Government in Seoul says it will intervene to stop stunt as it would do more harm than good, putting residents along the border at risk of retaliation

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

South Korea has vowed to stop a balloon drop of Hollywood film The Interview into North Korea, citing a “limit” to freedom of expression.



Activists plan to launch 10,000 DVDs of the film – a comedy about a fictional CIA plot to assassinate the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un – as well as 500,000 propaganda leaflets across the heavily militarised border.

Pyongyang has long condemned such balloon launches and threatened retaliation, and local residents have complained the activists are putting their lives at risk by making them potential targets. In October 2014 North Korean soldiers attempted to shoot down some balloons, triggering a brief exchange of heavy machine-gun fire across the border.

South Korea’s unification ministry called Friday for pre-emptive steps to protect local residents, saying there is a “limit” to freedom of expression.



“If such a movement is detected in advance, the government will take necessary measures because it may threaten the security of residents there,” ministry spokesman Lim Byeong-Cheol told reporters.

Seoul insists the activists have a democratic right to send the leaflets, but has appealed for restraint to avoid overly provoking North Korea.

10,000 copies of The Interview to be sent to North Korea by balloon Read more

South Korean police have occasionally prevented the launches at times of high cross-border tensions, citing the possible dangers posed to local residents.

The idea of the launch, planned for 26 March or thereabouts, is to mark the five-year anniversary of the sinking of a South Korean warship in 2010, with the loss of 46 sailors. South Korea pinned the blame on its northern neighbour and effectively froze trade and investment ties.



The activists have remained tight-lipped about the exact location and time for the launch.