Since Saturday night, North Korea has launched approximately 20 balloons carrying refuse toward South Korea, with around 10 objects discovered in Cheorwon, a border county, by Sunday, as reported by the South Korean military.
According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the balloons, loaded with trash like paper and vinyl, were released over the border from Saturday night into early Sunday. They confirmed that the items dropped included household waste and clarified that there were no hazardous materials involved.
The number of items released does not necessarily equate to the number of balloons, as each balloon, measuring between 2 to 3 meters in diameter and 3 to 4 meters in length, typically contains multiple smaller bags.
The trash campaign
Since late May, North Korea has launched over 5,000 trash-filled balloons toward South Korea in response to anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent by activists and North Korean defectors in the South. This campaign includes materials such as wastepaper, cloth scraps, cigarette butts, and even manure.
North Korea’s actions are seen as a retaliatory measure against South Korean civilian activists who regularly send anti-North Korean propaganda across the border. The regime of Kim Jong Un, known for its authoritarian rule, is particularly sensitive to external criticisms.
In response to North Korea’s balloon campaign, South Korea has activated front-line loudspeakers to broadcast propaganda messages and K-pop songs. Analysts suggest that North Korea opposes such broadcasts because they could potentially undermine the morale of front-line troops and residents.
Escalating tensions between North Korea and South Korea
The ongoing tit-for-tat actions between the two Koreas, reminiscent of Cold War tactics, are escalating tensions, with both sides threatening stronger measures and warning of serious consequences.
Relations between North and South Korea have deteriorated in recent years, exacerbated by Kim’s aggressive pursuit of nuclear weapons and missiles, coupled with verbal threats of nuclear conflict directed at Washington and Seoul. In response, South Korea, the United States, and Japan have intensified joint military exercises and enhanced their nuclear deterrence strategies involving U.S. strategic assets.
Experts anticipate that hostility may increase later this month with the commencement of annual joint military drills between South Korea and the United States, which are being reinforced to counter North Korea’s nuclear threats.
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