South Korea on high alert after North Korean balloon threats
According to Reuters, South Korea has warned residents near the border with North Korea to stay alert. This caution follows the detection of over 90 balloons containing various items, including what appears to be trash and faeces. The South Korean military urges people to avoid the balloons and report them to the army or police.
The South Korean military reported that unidentified objects were seen near the heavily fortified border, likely originating from North Korea. It stressed that people should stay away and report them to the military or police.
Many balloons are still in the air
According to Yonhap News, citing a military source, over 90 balloons had been detected by Wednesday, with some landing while others remained airborne.
Photos published in South Korean media depicted an inflated white balloon with a plastic bag attached, and other images showed scattered trash.
The North Korean Deputy Defense Minister stated on Sunday, promising to use "strong power for self-defence" and warned that "mounds of waste-paper and filth" would be sent to the South in response to the flying "dirty things" from South Korea.
This statement refers to an ongoing campaign by South Korean activists who have been sending balloons with leaflets criticising Kim Jong Un’s regime to the North for years. The packages also contain USB drives with K-pop music videos.
North Korea and South Korea remain technically at war. An armistice agreement that ended the fighting in the Korean War, which took place from 1950 to 1953, is still in effect.
