North Korea resumes launching waste-filled balloons.
Not long ago, North Korea launched a counterattack against South Korea, releasing hundreds of balloons stuffed with trash. This action was allegedly in retaliation for leaflets sent from the southern region into the northern one. It seems North Korea is up for more pranks.
The North Korean regime has launched approximately 600 balloons laden with waste across the heavily guarded border and into South Korea, reported Yonhap News Agency, relying on information from Seoul's military HQ. The debris was discovered in Seoul and Gyeonggi province on Sunday, containing various items such as cigarette butts, paper, and plastic bags. These balloons could possibly contain harmful materials, so they should not be touched, as per military instructions.
Teams have been despatched to gather the waste. Interestingly, the balloons weren't shot down to prevent the risk of containing toxic chemicals. South Korea's presidential office is set to discuss the actions taken by the North later in the day.
The week before, North Korea dispatched around 260 balloons, suspected to contain human excrement. In response, the South Korean Defense Ministry warned North Korea of possible measures if they continued with such irrational acts. The options on the table included reviving loudspeaker broadcasts at the border and sending leaflets containing critical content that would call for the overthrow of the leadership in Pyongyang.
Countermeasures Dictated by Pride
The Vice Defense Minister of North Korea announced on the previous Sunday that they would return "piles of paper and garbage" across the borders. They would teach South Korea how tiring it is to clean up their mess, according to the statement. This attack was in response to the distribution of leaflets and trash from South Korea.
A ban on distributing leaflets and other objects across the military demarcation line between the nations was introduced under the previous progressive South Korean government back in 2021. However, the Constitutional Court repealed the ban last year, stating that it unfairly restricted freedom of expression.
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In response to the resumption of waste-filled balloon launches by North Korea, South Korea's presidential office is planning to discuss potential countermeasures. Despite North Korea's justification for these actions as a form of retaliation against South Korean leaflets and trash, the global community, including leaders like Kim Jong Un, have been heavily involved in the North Korea conflict and its propaganda.
