In a recent escalation of tensions, North Korea has launched hundreds of trash-filled balloons into South Korea. This act comes amid threats of new counteractions by Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The balloons, laden with waste such as cigarette butts, scraps of cloth, and paper, have been condemned by South Korea as hazardous and provocative.
The latest wave of approximately 600 balloons was detected between Saturday night and Sunday morning, landing in several northern provinces of South Korea, including the densely populated areas of Seoul and Gyeonggi.
I said to @StarsAndStripes there is "no moral or legal equivalence" b/t South Korea's & North Korea's ballons. SK's are filled with information & dollar bills, while NK's are filled with feces & parasites-laden trash. https://t.co/O2xOvJiBws
— Sung-Yoon Lee (@SungYoonLee1) June 25, 2024
This follows a similar campaign a few days earlier, indicating a systematic effort by Pyongyang to retaliate against South Korean activists' anti-North Korean leafleting.
Kim Yo Jong has characterized these actions as a response to the resumed loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts by South Korea along the border. In her statements, she warned that Seoul's continued "psychological warfare" would lead to even more severe retaliations from the North.
#SouthKorea readies its propaganda ballons in response to North Korea's trash ones.
Speakers placed at the border with North Korea.@SaroyaHem tells you more
Watch more on https://t.co/AXC5qRuO3J#SouthNorthKorea pic.twitter.com/kuaz5wY3ar
— WION (@WIONews) June 10, 2024
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) have denounced North Korea's actions, urging an immediate halt to these provocations. They emphasized that North Korea bears full responsibility for the escalating tensions and potential dangers posed by these balloons. Despite the provocations, the South Korean military has decided against shooting down the balloons, citing the risk of accidental damage and further escalation.
The South Korean government has issued public warnings, advising citizens not to touch any suspicious objects and to report them to authorities. So far, there have been no reports of injuries or significant damage caused by the balloons.
This latest development adds to a series of aggressive moves by North Korea, including missile tests and the recent failed launch of a spy satellite. The ongoing provocations have heightened concerns about potential military conflicts on the Korean Peninsula. In response, South Korea has suspended a 2018 military agreement aimed at easing border tensions and is considering resuming military exercises and broadcasts along the border .
As the situation continues to develop, South Korea's Unification Ministry has warned North Korea of "unbearable" consequences if the provocations persist. Both sides remain on high alert, with the international community closely monitoring the unfolding events.
