The South Korean military has reported that North Korea has once again sent trash-filled balloons towards the South, despite warnings from Seoul about retaliatory measures against such activities.
According to a report, based on AFP news agency’s information, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that earlier this week, North Korea sent approximately 260 trash-filled balloons. These balloons contained items such as used batteries, cigarette butts, and fertilizer.
Seoul authorities condemned this act as a disgraceful action. South Korea’s Ministry of Unification warned that the government would take retaliatory measures if Pyongyang continued such unreasonable provocations.
In a text message sent to reporters, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff advised the public to avoid touching the balloons and to report them to authorities. They confirmed that North Korea was again sending waste-filled balloons towards the South.
Earlier this week, Pyongyang defended its actions, claiming the balloons were “sincere gifts” in response to propaganda balloons sent into North Korea by activists, which were aimed against leader Kim Jong-un.
North Korea has long been aggravated by balloons sent by South Korean activists, which often contain anti-Pyongyang leaflets. Sometimes these balloons also carry cash, rice, or USB thumb drives with South Korean drama series.
South Korea’s Defense Minister Shin Won-sik stated on Saturday that North Korea’s act of sending balloons filled with trash is an unimaginably low and disgraceful behavior. He added that the balloons sent by activists into the North were humanitarian aid balloons.