North Korea sends trash balloons to South Korea

North Korea has sent another wave of balloons filled with rubbish into South Korea. Around 600 balloons, containing items like cigarette butts, cloth scraps, wastepaper, and vinyl, were found across various parts of South Korea from last night to this morning, according to South Korea’s military.

This action is in response to South Korean activists sending anti-North Korean leaflets across the border. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that the balloons did not contain any dangerous substances but advised the public to avoid touching them and to report any suspected items to authorities. There have been no injuries or damage reported.

In Seoul, the city government issued alerts warning residents about the balloons. This incident is part of a series of provocations from North Korea, including a failed spy satellite launch and multiple short-range missile launches, which the North claimed demonstrated its ability to attack the South preemptively.

South Korea’s military dispatched teams to recover debris from about 260 balloons found from Tuesday night to Wednesday. These balloons carried various types of rubbish and manure but no hazardous materials. Some balloons had timers designed to pop the rubbish bags midair.

Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, confirmed the balloon launches in a statement on Wednesday, saying they were retaliation for South Korean leafletting campaigns. She hinted that North Korea might continue using balloons to send rubbish as a standard response to such actions.