South Korea's Unification Ministry said efforts to strengthen the North Korean people’s right to know must not be pursued in a way that would violate the rights of South Koreans living near the inter-Korean border.

A ministry official presented the stance on Wednesday when asked to comment on the U.S. State Department’s 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices issued the day before.

The State Department had assessed that the limit on freedom of expression in South Korea, including a ban on sending anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets into North Korea, is one of the South’s key human rights issues.

The ministry official said the government is working to enhance North Koreans’ access to information, adding that Seoul clearly understands the importance of expanding the information flow into the North. 

The official was quick to add that it’s not desirable for such efforts to be pursued by violating the rights of others, including the peace and life of people living near the border area.

The official, however, refused to directly comment on the State Department report.