A new form of cross-border hostility has emerged on the Korean peninsula as North Korea launched over 200 balloons filled with waste and propaganda into South Korea. This action follows a warning from North Korea's vice defense minister of a “tit-for-tat” response after South Korean activists recently sent anti-Pyongyang leaflets over the border.
The South Korean military reported that the balloons, carrying trash, bottles, old batteries, leaflets, fertilizer, and other waste, were discovered primarily in the border provinces of Gyeonggi and Gangwon, but some were found as far south as South Gyeongsang.
Photographs released by the South Korean military showed balloons weighted down with plastic bags filled with garbage. Some images depicted trash scattered around collapsed balloons, with the word “excrement” written on one of the bags.
South Korea responded by issuing a government emergency disaster alert, advising citizens to avoid touching the objects and to report any sightings to the authorities. Response teams dispatched to investigate confirmed the presence of fertilizers but found no human waste, despite past incidents in 2016 where North Korea had sent human feces via balloons.
North Korea's use of balloons to send waste and propaganda is not new but has increased in frequency, with the current barrage being the largest since similar incidents between 2016 and 2018. These actions have disrupted GPS frequencies along the de facto sea border between the two nations, prompting condemnation from South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.
“These acts by North Korea violate international law and threaten our people’s safety,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff stated, urging North Korea to cease its “inhumane and vulgar behaviors” immediately.
The recent escalation follows the activities of North Korean defector and human rights activist Park Sang-hak, who earlier this month sent 20 balloons carrying 300,000 leaflets condemning North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. These balloons also contained USB drives with South Korean media such as K-pop and K-drama, as well as U.S. dollar bills.
This exchange of provocative actions has heightened tensions between the two Koreas, with concerns growing that North Korea might be preparing for more severe military measures. The international community watches closely as the situation continues to develop.
