National Security Act (South Korea)

South Korea's National Security Act, in force since December 1, 1948, criminalizes activities the government deems threatening to state security, including recognizing North Korea as a legitimate political entity, forming or joining organizations that advocate overthrowing the government, and distributing materials judged to benefit North Korea. It carried over provisions from Japan's colonial-era Peace Preservation Law, which had suppressed the Korean independence movement, and took its current form amid the early Cold War division of Korea. It remains one of the most contested laws in South Korea: rights groups have documented rising prosecutions under it and a series of wrongful convictions that led to government apologies and compensation, and repeated efforts to repeal or narrow it have failed.