People who support North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's visit to Seoul participate in an event to welcome him in Seoul, Dec. 9. Yonhap

By Kang Seung-woo

After decades of ideological conflict that drove South and North Korea to the brink of war at times, the two sides have undergone a stunning about-face in their relations, with an unprecedented reconciliatory mood along with three inter-Korean summits last year alone. Another highlight of the changes will be Seoul's bid to host the leader of its northern neighbor this year for another summit.

However, the advancement of bilateral ties is developing another yet unexpected ideological confrontation as rival partisan organizations have started to fight for hegemony ― one side welcoming the envisaged Kim Jong-un's visit to the South and the other side threatening to assassinate him.

Should the Seoul summit get on track, such confrontations are likely to deepen, further dividing South Koreans.

Seoul has been pushing for Kim's trip in the hopes it will help further improve cross-border ties and give an impetus to the ongoing diplomatic efforts to denuclearize North Korea and establish a lasting peace regime on the peninsula.

During the third summit between President Moon Jae-in and Kim in Pyongyang in September, Kim agreed to visit the South to reciprocate his South Korean counterpart's visit.

The Welcoming Committee of the Great Man, a youth group, made headlines recently as its leader praised the North Korean leader, who is labeled a dictator, as a great man and beautified his regime.

"Kim is a great leader to come forward for peace. Bracing for possible criticism from the community, I have decided to call him like that," said Kim Soo-keun, who became a controversial figure after saying "I love communism" during a press conference on Nov. 26.

Kim's organization also criticized the Seoul subway operator's rejection of its request to place ads in subway stations to welcome Kim's visit.

Since President Moon made the invitation in September, a dozen groups have sprung up to welcome Kim here.

The Seoul Citizen Welcome Committee, among others, has launched a campaign to collect welcome messages from Seoul citizens, which would be delivered at the fourth inter-Korean summit in Seoul.

However, pro-North Korea movements are not limited to such platitudes, as some radical groups threaten those who have condemned the North Korean regime.

Recently, "Baekdu Guard," or Baekdu Protection Squad, a new South Korean group that supports Kim and condemns the United Nations, sent threatening emails to Thae Yong-ho, a former North Korean deputy ambassador to the United Kingdom who writes columns regarding the North Korean regime after defecting to the South.

A civic group holds a press conference to call for the breakup of a pro-North Korea organization that welcomes Kim Jong-un's visit to Seoul. / Yonhap

In response, conservative groups have struck back at the pro-North movements.

The Freedom Korea National Defense Corps and several other groups filed a complaint recently against 70 pro-North Korea activists, including Kim Soo-keun and the leader of an online community for progressive students, accusing them of breaching the National Security Law which prevents people from praising, inciting or propagating the activities of an anti-state group.

"I respect the pro-North organizations' thoughts, but it should be expressed within the limits of the Constitution," said Park Sang-hak, the founder of the Fighters for a Free North Korea, which often launches balloons filled with anti-North Korea leaflets urging North Korean people to revolt against their leader.

"Recent acts by pro-North organizations definitely violated the National Security Law," he said.

The ideological confrontation is expected to deepen if Kim's much-anticipated trip to Seoul materializes in the near future.

A recent survey found that six out of 10 South Koreans supported Kim visiting Seoul.

According to local pollster Realmeter, 61.3 percent of 500 respondents said they would welcome Kim if he comes to the South as it would contribute to peace on the Korean Peninsula, compared with 31.3 percent opposing it.

Those who support the visit plan to gather 100,000 signatures to welcome him, while the opposing side plans to form an organization to assassinate Kim when he visits Seoul.

"Kim is a traitor who infringed on human rights by detaining 220,000 people in political prisoner camps," Park said. "Rather that holding a press conference, we will show our determination with action."

Experts advise people to refrain from acting in emotional and inflammatory manners.

"Given that there are some pending issues between the two Koreas, including the sinking of the South Korean naval ship Cheonan, excessive praise for the North Korean leader will adversely affect those who support Kim's visit," said Nam Sung-wook, a professor of North Korean studies at Korea University.

Lim Woon-taek, a professor of Keimyoung University in Daegu, said, "We need to take seriously what Kim's visit will bring to the South. If it is seen in ideological standards, ideological confrontation in the South is inevitable."