71% of Gyeonggi Province Residents Say "North Korea Propaganda Leaflet Distribution Should Stop"

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hun] Regarding the recent distribution of North Korea propaganda leaflets by North Korean defector organizations, it has been found that seven out of ten Gyeonggi Province residents believe that 'North Korea propaganda leaflet distribution should stop.'

Gyeonggi Province conducted a public opinion survey targeting 1,200 residents on 'North Korea propaganda leaflet distribution' from the 19th to 20th and announced the results on the 24th.

First, 71% of respondents answered that 'North Korea propaganda leaflet distribution should stop.' The response that 'leaflet distribution should continue' accounted for 22%.

When asked whether North Korea propaganda leaflet distribution threatens residents' lives and safety, more than half of respondents at 59% answered 'it does pose a threat.' In contrast, 38% of respondents said 'it does not pose a threat.' Regarding claims that North Korea propaganda leaflet distribution helps improve the human rights of North Korean residents, 61% of province residents disagreed. Regarding the possibility of military conflict occurring in border areas due to recent leaflet distribution, 60% of residents viewed 'conflict possibility as high.'

77% of residents positively evaluated the province's administrative order banning North Korea propaganda leaflet distribution as 'appropriate.' The province designated the entire areas of five cities and counties—Yeoncheon, Pocheon, Paju, Gimpo, and Goyang—as hazardous zones from the 17th through November 30th and issued an administrative order banning leaflet distribution.

Regarding the province's measures to ban North Korea propaganda leaflet distribution: ▲maintain current level 44%, ▲strengthen further 41%, with opinions on 'maintenance and strengthening' totaling 85%, while opinions on 'should be further relaxed' accounted for only 11%.

Regarding future inter-Korean relations, opinions differ between 'will get worse' (25%) and 'will improve' (21%), while the view 'will remain similar to now' accounted for 50%. This shows a significant difference from the survey conducted immediately after the Panmunjom Declaration in April 2018 (expectations that 'will improve from now' 73%, 'will remain similar to now' 18%, 'will worsen from now' 4%).

Lee Jae-gang, Vice Governor for Peace of Gyeonggi Province, said, "Through this survey, we have once again confirmed that residents feel threatened to their lives and safety by North Korea propaganda leaflet distribution activities," and added, "We will mobilize all administrative means to prevent North Korea propaganda leaflet distribution activities."

This survey was conducted by Gyeonggi Province through Korea Research Co., Ltd., a public opinion research agency, over two days from the 19th to 20th via telephone interviews targeting 1,200 residents aged 18 and older in Gyeonggi Province. The confidence level is 95%, with a sampling error of ±2.83%p.