The government's stance on anti-Pyongyang leaflet campaigns by North Korean defector groups based in South Korea has changed following parliament's passage of a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol.

During the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee hearing on Monday, Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho said the government is prioritizing the safety and lives of the people, calling on the activist groups to make "careful judgments."

The unification ministry has consistently stated that its approach to the distribution of anti-Pyongyang leaflets considers the Constitutional Court's decision to protect the freedom of expression.

The ministry's shift in stance appears to be aimed at minimizing incidents that could escalate inter-Korean tensions during the impeachment crisis.

Minister Kim stressed that the government will closely monitor North Korean developments and focus on the stable management of the situation on the Korean Peninsula.