Seoul Military reports claims North Korean launches more trash Balloons
- Seoul’s military reports North Korea is launching more balloons carrying trash toward the South.
- The Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul warn citizens to be cautious of falling debris.
- Since late May, Pyongyang has launched the eighth round of balloons carrying trash.
On Thursday, Seoul’s military reported that North Korea was launching more balloons believed to be carrying trash toward the South, marking the latest escalation in a tit-for-tat balloon conflict between the two Koreas. The Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul stated that the North was currently floating suspected trash balloons across the border aimed at the South.
“Citizens are advised to be cautious of falling debris. If you find any fallen balloons do not touch them and report them to the nearest military unit or police station,” it added.
Seoul city authorities issued an alert to residents Thursday, saying “A suspected balloon from North Korea is confirmed to have entered the airspace of Northern Gyeonggi province. Citizens should be cautious of outside activities.”
Since late May, Pyongyang has launched the eighth round of balloons carrying trash. The nuclear-armed North has already sent more than a thousand of these balloons south, citing retaliation for balloons carrying anti-regime propaganda floated northwards by activists south of the border.
In response to the trash balloons, Seoul has fully suspended a tension-reducing military deal and restarted some propaganda broadcasts from loudspeakers along the border. Additionally, Seoul has conducted live-fire drills in some border areas.
Last week, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stated that North Korea had found more “dirty leaflets” from South Korean “scum” in its territory along the border. She warned that those responsible would “pay a very high price.”
According to a statement from the official Korean Central News Agency, Kim Yo Jong, a key regime spokesperson, further stated that North Korean military personnel were “now conducting an all-out search, throwing into fire, and disposing of the found rubbished.”
