New Provocation from North Korea: Balloons Containing Waste Sent over DMZ.

For the second consecutive day, North Korea has floated balloons filled with waste toward South Korea, the South Korean military announced on Thursday. This latest action is part of a series of provocations that Seoul has condemned as "completely senseless."
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Trash-carrying balloons floated from North Korea are spotted from the South Korean border town of Paju on Sept. 5, 2024. (Picture source: Yonhap)

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the balloons were observed starting at 9 a.m. "As North Korea is again floating balloons since this morning, we advise the public to be cautious of falling objects and to immediately report any discovered balloon to nearby military units or the police," the JCS stated in a message to journalists.

This maneuver comes after the launch of approximately 420 balloons carrying waste between Wednesday night and Thursday morning. North Korea's balloon campaign, which had paused for about a month, has now resumed significantly. Around 20 balloons were found in Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province, mostly containing paper waste and plastic bottles. No dangerous substances were found, according to South Korean authorities.

Since late May, North Korea has launched thousands of balloons filled with waste in retaliation for anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent by North Korean defectors and activists in South Korea. The last such balloon launch occurred on August 10.

In response to these recurring provocations, the South Korean military has increased its countermeasures, including broadcasting daily anti-Pyongyang propaganda messages via loudspeakers at the border since July. North Korea has strongly opposed these campaigns, fearing that the influx of external information could threaten the stability of Kim Jong-un's regime.

The South Korean Ministry of Unification, which oversees inter-Korean relations, strongly condemned this new balloon campaign, calling the action "vulgar and senseless." "It is regrettable that North Korea resorts to such inappropriate methods, especially at a time when the country is facing severe damage from recent heavy rains," said a ministry spokesperson, speaking on condition of anonymity.

North Korea is currently struggling with the aftermath of devastating floods that hit its border provinces along the Amnok River at the end of July. Torrential rains particularly affected the provinces of North Phyongan, Jagang, and Ryanggang.

The South Korean official also emphasized that the actions of civilian activists aimed at informing North Koreans could never justify North Korea's repeated provocations against the South, referring to the distribution of anti-Pyongyang leaflets.

Thursday’s incident marks the 13th time North Korea has floated waste-carrying balloons across the border since late May, signaling a continued escalation of tensions between the two Koreas.