North Korea recently launched another round of 'trash balloons' towards South Korea, as reported by local media. South Korea's Yonhap News Agency revealed that over 160 balloons filled with trash were sent across the border by North Korea. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) confirmed the discovery of numerous 'trash bundles' containing items like paper, plastic bottles, and household garbage in parts of Gyeonggi Province near Seoul.
Earlier this month, the JCS disclosed that approximately 420 balloons were detected, allegedly launched by North Korea into South Korea. This exchange of trash bundles is part of the ongoing tit-for-tat actions between the two Koreas, reminiscent of Cold War tactics. North Korea has been sending thousands of balloons towards the South, carrying items such as wastepaper, cloth scraps, cigarette butts, and even manure.
North Korea claims that these balloons are a response to South Korean civilian activists who distribute anti-North Korean propaganda leaflets across the border. In a notable incident in July, trash from a North Korean balloon landed on the South Korean presidential compound, raising concerns about the security of key South Korean facilities. Fortunately, the balloon did not contain any hazardous materials, and no injuries were reported.
South Korea has retaliated by using loudspeakers at the border to broadcast propaganda messages and K-pop songs towards North Korea. These ongoing actions are contributing to the escalating tensions fueled by North Korea's nuclear ambitions and South Korea's joint military exercises with the United States.
