A group of North Korean defectors said Monday it has sent anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the inter-Korean border, condemning the communist nation over a recent World Cup qualifier held between the two Koreas behind closed doors.

Fighters for a Free North Korea released balloons carrying 500,000 leaflets from Gimpo, west of Seoul, to the North on Sunday, criticizing the North over the inter-Korean match held in Pyongyang last week with no fans, journalists or live broadcasting allowed.


(Yonhap)
The group also placed 2,000 one-dollar bills, 1,000 USB drives and 500 booklets inside the balloons.

North Korea declined to approve trips by South Korean nationals other than the players and the national team support staffers for the rare sports exchange between the two sides, leaving fans and journalists in the dark.

Slamming North Korea for turning the rare match into "combat" between the two sides, Park Sang-hak, the head of the group, also denounced the South Korean government for what he called a failure to properly raise the issue over the North's lack of cooperation.

The group has sent similar leaflets in the past despite the government's push to stop such campaigns over worries they might hamper its efforts to reduce tensions and improve inter-Korean ties. (Yonhap)