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Defector Launches Balloons With Copies of 'The Interview' to North Korea

A North Korean defector living in the bordering country of South Korea wants to reach those still living in his home country... and he's doing it with balloons. Lee Min-bok is known as a defector, or a person who flees one country for another due to political, religious or ideological reasons.

Lee has been sending thousands of copies of the film The Interview into North Korea via balloon by studying the wind directions from South Korea to North Korea. He sent 80,000 copies in this last batch -  his fourth launch.

The movie, which was seen as a silly comedy in the United States, was seen as an act of terrorism in North Korea and led to a devastating cyber-attack against Sony pictures, the company which produced the film.

In addition to the movie, Lee sends propaganda leaflets and dollar bills. These propaganda balloons infuriate North Korea. Its military fired on similar balloons several months ago. South Korea says it can't stop the balloons as this is freedom of speech.


Website Article: Amnesty International, North Korea Human Rights

Website: World Factbook, North Korea

Lesson Plan & Video: A Tale of Two Heavens: Escaping North Korea