SKorea to lift ban on NKorea TV, newspapers despite tensions

By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea says it plans to lift its decadeslong ban on public access to North Korean television, newspapers and other publications as part of its efforts to promote mutual understanding between the rivals. In a policy report to President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday, South Korea’s Unification Ministry said it will gradually open the door for North Korean broadcasts and other media, and it will encourage North Korea to take similar steps. Experts say North Korea is unlikely to reciprocate because the flow of South Korean cultural and media content could pose a threat to its authoritarian leadership.