SEOUL — South Korea’s National Human Rights Commission has released a statement against government’s decision to bar the sending leaflets to the North.

“The sending of leaflets by individuals or civil organizations falls under freedom of expression, which is guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” the memorandum on the commission’s official statement, obtained by the Yonhap News Agency, reads.

“To inhibit its citizen from activity that falls under freedom of expression due to North Korea’s threat to physically retaliate is for the government to violate its citizen’s