Provocations at the border - South Korea: North Korea sends Mull-Balloons again
North Korea, according to South Korea's statements, has again sent multiple balloons apparently filled with trash over the heavily militarized border between the two countries. The General Staff in the capital Seoul announced through the official news agency Yonhap that the balloons were heading towards the border province of Gyeonggi. The population was urged not to touch stray balloons and to report them to the police or military.
Since late May, according to South Korea's statements, North Korea has sent over 3,000 balloons filled with waste and sometimes with paint to South Korea, including 500 on Sunday.
Only last Thursday, the South Korean government resumed broadcasting anti-Pyongyang propaganda over loudspeakers along the border. The North Korean leadership considers such actions a serious provocation.
After a period of de-escalation, the conflict on the Korean Peninsula has regained significant intensity in recent history. Since early 2022, North Korea has been testing nuclear-capable missiles and other weapons at an increased rate. South Korea and the USA have meanwhile strengthened their military cooperation.
- The balloons sent by North Korea, as reported by South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, contain not just trash but also paint at times.
- Despite the German term 'Müll' referring to waste or trash, South Korea urges its population to not interact with stray balloons, potentially filled with such materials, and report them instead.
- The repeated launching of such balloons by North Korea towards South Korea is viewed as a provocation, as stated by the North Korean leadership.
- The string of conflicts between North and South Korea, including the use of balloons as a form of provocation, adds complexity to the existing tensions and the ongoing de-escalation efforts.
