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Articles praising North Korea's Songun or military-first ideology have poured out on the homepages of pro-North Korean organizations like Solidarity for Unification, the National Alliance for Democracy and Reunification of Korea and the Pan-Korean Alliance for Reunification since late July. "The Songun ideology is a historic moment in the emergence of our nation in a new shape in the 21st century, putting an end to the woes of a weak nation," says one article. "But for North Korea's great military strength, the U.S. would have invaded the North and caused war in our country," says another. The articles are signed by dubious organizations such as "Group of Seoul Citizens Supporting the Songun Ideology" and "Co-representatives of A Group of College Students Supporting the Songun Ideology."
The Korean Young Students Alliance to Unify the Fatherland, manned principally by members of the Korean Federation of University Student Councils, meanwhile, launched an "advance team" in a rally on Wednesday. On the streets, it was scattering a leaflet that claims the U.S. is misleading the public with claims North Korea¡¯s missile tests harm peace in Northeast Asia.
At whose signal did they come out of the woodwork? The Songun propaganda outfits started moving after the Rodong Shinmun, the organ of the North Korean Workers Party, on July 29 said the Songun ideology ¡°safeguards peace on the Korean Peninsula. The entire nation, North and South and our overseas brethren, must be united in solidarity." Ordinary citizens without the means to investigate have no way of knowing the true identity and background of the propaganda groups. They are merely concerned that this is allowed to happen in the South. It is the government¡¯s duty to find it out and do something about it. It is its responsibility to the people who pay their taxes so the government may safeguard the nation's security.
But neither the National Intelligence Service, nor the prosecution, nor the police are doing anything. Cheong Wa Dae, so keen to meddle with newspaper editorials and columns, is keeping mum. The police alone has belatedly said they are investigating whether this qualifies as ¡°benefiting the enemy¡± under the National Security Law. The National Intelligence Service director, prosecutor general and police commissioner general should at least listen out for what is being said by these North Korean propaganda groups, here, right in the heart of South Korea.
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