US Edition6 Americans detained for trying to send rice and Bibles to North Korea by sea, police say
SOUTH KOREA, JUN 27 – Six Americans detained for violating South Korea's safety law by attempting to send 1,300 to 1,600 bottles with aid and religious materials toward North Korea from a restricted zone.
- On June 27, 2025, South Korean authorities detained six American nationals who attempted to send approximately 1,300 bottles containing rice, U.S. currency, and Bibles by sea near Ganghwa Island, close to the border with North Korea.
- The attempt took place in a restricted front-line area designated a danger zone since November, amid long-stalled North-South Korea talks and a U.S.-led diplomacy derailment since 2019.
- President Lee Jae Myung's liberal government, which took office in early June 2025, has halted anti-North Korea propaganda broadcasts and is cracking down on activist campaigns using safety laws.
- Authorities confirmed that the Americans, ranging in age from their 20s to 50s, breached South Korea’s disaster and safety regulations, and officials are conducting their investigation with the help of an interpreter.
- The detentions reflect South Korea’s initiative to deter activities that might escalate conflict with the North and to enhance the security of communities living near the border amid uncertain prospects for renewed inter-Korean dialogue.
123 Articles
123 Articles
Six Americans under investigation for trying to send Bibles, rice to North Korea
South Korean police are investigating six U.S. nationals who allegedly tried to send plastic bottles filled with one-dollar bills, rice and USBs loaded with the Bible to North Korea, as the Lee Jae-myung administration cracks down on border activities that it views as exacerbating inter-Korean tensions. The Incheon Ganghwa Police Station confirmed on Monday that […]
South Korean authorities have detained six American citizens after they tried to ship 1,600 plastic bottles filled with rice, US dollars and Bibles to North Korea by sea.
South Korean police on Friday arrested six US citizens who tried to send plastic bottles containing rice and Bibles to North Korea, the head of an investigation team said.
Americans detained for trying to launch bottles into North Korea, police say
South Korean authorities detained six United States citizens on Friday, June 26, for attempting to send plastic bottles filled with items across the sea to North Korea. Police said they apprehended the group on Ganghwa Island before they could release the bottles, which carried rice, U.S. currency, miniature Bibles and USB drives. South Korea designated the area a “risk zone” under its “Disasters and Safety" law, which bans potentially provocati…
Six detained after throwing rice, Bibles & $1 bills into sea toward North Korea
SIX Americans have been detained for allegedly trying to float more than 1,600 bottles stuffed with rice, tiny Bibles, dollar bills, and USB drives to North Korea. South Korean police say the group was caught before they could launch the bottles into the water. AFPSix Americans were stopped on Ganghwa Island before tossing the bottles into the sea[/caption] The incident happened Friday on the front-line island of Ganghwa, west of Seoul. Authorit…
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