SOUTH KOREA’S parliament today approved contentious legislation criminalising the flying of leaflets by balloon toward North Korea.

The legislation passed with the support of 187 lawmakers, mostly governing party members who support President Moon Jae In’s policy of engagement with North Korea.

Activists and defectors from North Korea have for years used huge helium-filled balloons to carry leaflets criticising North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme and human rights record, USB sticks with information about world news and US dollars.