South Korea Allows Public Access to North Korean Party Newspaper

South Korea’s decision to open public access to Rodong Sinmun marks a significant policy shift that risks exposing the country to North Korea’s long-term information warfare under the guise of peace and engagement.

News Summary

On December 30, 2025, South Korea eased a decades-long restriction, allowing the public to access North Korea’s ruling party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, without prior government approval.

The paper has been reclassified from a “special publication” to a “general publication,” enabling free access at authorized libraries without additional identity checks or application procedures.

Commentary

Some may dismiss this move as a merely symbolic gesture aimed at easing tensions with the North. In reality, however, it represents a significant shift in South Korea’s policy toward North Korea.

By reclassifying Rodong Sinmun and expanding public access, Seoul is effectively opening the gate wide for the Kim regime’s long-running information warfare, which is designed to exploit openness and shape perceptions over time rather than achieve immediate results.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has argued that South Koreans are politically mature enough to assess North Korean propaganda for themselves, rather than being treated as passive or vulnerable recipients. While this rhetoric may sound reassuring and empowering, it overlooks the cumulative and strategic nature of influence warfare.

Whether deliberate or not, the Lee administration appears to be laying the foundation for expanded North Korean influence in the South. History tells us that ideological battles are not won on the battlefield, but by who ultimately wins the information warfare.

If the South Korean government continues down this path in the name of peace and engagement, it risks placing its strategic resilience in serious jeopardy.