A group representing families of South Koreans abducted by North Korea has announced plans to launch anti-North Korean leaflet balloons near the inter-Korean border, defying the new administration’s calls to halt the activity.

The group said Thursday that it has filed notice for a public event at Imjingak in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, from June 14 to July 10, stating the aim is to deliver warnings and appeals to North Korea on behalf of kidnapped family members.

Association leader Choi Seong-ryong said the unification ministry asked the group to stop the leaflet campaign but offered no solutions, and he vowed not to stop until his kidnapped father is returned.

Previously the ministry had refrained from formally intervening, citing a 2023 Constitutional Court ruling that emphasized freedom of expression, but it has shifted its stance under the new administration.

Police have issued a formal notice restricting the outdoor gathering, citing safety risks from gas canisters and the potential danger of falling balloons.