North Korea sends trash-carrying balloons to South Korea

North Korea has released hundreds of trash-carrying balloons towards South Korea on Wednesday, calling them a “gift of sincerity”.

South Korea called this move “base and dangerous.” The South Korean military released photos of balloons carrying garbage bags, and one of the bags was labelled as “excrement.”

More than 260 balloons were spotted by Wednesday afternoon, carrying filth, animal feces and rubbish, stated the South Korean military.

South Korea Condemns North’s Provocative Act with Trash-Carrying Balloons

According to state media, the ballooning campaign coincided with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s encouragement of military scientists to persevere after a failed satellite launch and to advance the development of space-based reconnaissance capabilities. Kim emphasized the importance of these capabilities in countering U.S. and South Korean military activities.

“North Korea’s actions clearly violate international law and seriously threaten the safety of our citizens,” said the country’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) in a statement. “All responsibility arising from the North Korean balloons lies entirely with North Korea, and we sternly warn North Korea to immediately stop its inhumane and low-level actions,” it added.

North Korea justified this move saying it was a response to an ongoing propaganda campaign by North Korean traitors and South Korean activists, who often send anti-Pyongyang leaflets, alongside food, medicine, money and USB sticks loaded with K-pop music videos and dramas across the border.

Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un referred to the activities as “freedom of expression.”

According to a statement published by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Wednesday, Kim accepted that they had scattered toilet papers and other waste materials in bags, attaching them to the balloons across the Korean border and central areas.

Photos released by the military revealed trash scattered across highways and roads in various parts of the country. In Seoul, military officials discovered what seemed to be a timer likely intended to burst the bags of trash midair. In the central South Chungcheong province, two large balloons carrying an intact plastic bag filled with dirt-like substances were spotted on a road.

There were no immediate reports of damage from the balloons. Similar North Korean balloon activities caused damage to cars and other property in 2016.

Kim compared the move to South Korea’s years-long propaganda of sending balloons with anti-North Korea leaflets across the border. “We’ve done some of the things they always do, but I don’t know why they’re making a big deal like they’ve been hit by a shower of fire,” said Kim.

“Scattering leaflets by use of balloons is a dangerous provocation that can be utilized for a specific military purpose,” said North Korea’s Vice Minister of National Defense, Kim Kang Il. He alleged South Korea for using “psychological warfare” by scattering “various dirty things” near border areas, announcing that the North would take “tit for tat action.”

The South Korean military’s explosive ordnance unit and chemical and biological warfare response team were sent out to examine and gather the objects, while residents were cautioned to stay clear and report any sightings to authorities.

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