North Korea has resumed sending balloons loaded with garbage across the border into South Korea, a week after stating it would continue if anti-North Korean leaflets were dropped from the South, officials and media reported Sunday.
The balloons, believed to have been sent by North Korea, were loaded with a variety of items, including what appeared to be garbage, and were photographed in a park in Incheon, South Korea (via Reuters).
Dozens of balloons containing debris were found in Seoul and areas near the border between the country and the border on Sunday night and into the early hours of the morning, after South Korea's military said late Saturday that North Korea had launched balloons again.
South Korea's military said on Sunday it was “taking the balloon incident very seriously” and was ready to take action if necessary, but gave no details about what measures it would take.
South Korea has warned that it will take “unbearable” measures against North Korea for sending the garbage balloons, which could include broadcasting loud propaganda messages into North Korea from giant loudspeakers on the border.
North Korea's government has said the balloons were sent in retaliation for anti-North Korea leaflets distributed by South Korean activists as part of a propaganda campaign, and hundreds of balloons loaded with garbage and fertilizer have been launched since late May.
On June 2, the agency announced it was suspending the balloon campaign, saying 15 tonnes of rubbish would be enough to get the “nasty” message across, but vowed to restart it with 100 times the amount if flyers were dropped again from the south.
South Korean activists ignored the warnings and have since launched more balloons into North Korea carrying leaflets critical of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, USB sticks containing K-pop videos and dramas, and US dollar bills.
North Korea has responded most strongly to leafleting and loudspeaker broadcasts, and in the past has fired weapons at balloons and loudspeakers.
Experts say the reaction shows North Korea sees propaganda as a serious threat to its control over the population.
News / World News / North Korea resumes sending trash balloons to South Korea
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