NEWS BRIEF

[Anchor Lead]

The Seoul Western District Court has dismissed a petition asking to ban the sale of a memoir on the late North Korean founder Kim Il-sung titled “With the Century.” The court said that banning the sale and distribution of the book is only possible when the contents violate the personal rights of those who filed the complaint. The memoir which details Kim’s anti-Japan activism was first published by the regime in the 1990s. A South Korean publisher began selling the book on April first.
The UN Security Council’s North Korea sanctions committee has approved a sanctions exemption for the Singaporean Red Cross to send supplies to North Korea that will help with anti-coronavirus efforts such as test kits and other preventive equipment. The committee made the announcement on its website on Friday. The Singapore Red Cross filed a request for an exemption last month saying the aid will go to its North Korean counterpart. The sanctions waiver took effect on May 7 and will be valid for nine months until early February next year.