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North Korea Sends Trash-Filled Balloons to South, Prompting Angry Response

North Korea caused outrage on Wednesday as they sent hundreds of balloons filled with trash and excrement across the heavily fortified border to South Korea, claiming they were “gifts of sincerity.” The act sparked anger in Seoul, with officials denouncing it as base and dangerous.

Images released by the South Korean military showed balloons inflated and attached to plastic bags. Other pictures depicted trash scattered around deflated balloons, with the word “excrement” clearly visible on one bag.

The South Korean military issued a statement revealing that over 260 balloons had been detected by Wednesday afternoon, most of which had already landed on the ground. These balloons were found to contain animal faeces and rubbish. The act was described as “base and dangerous” by the military.

This aggressive move by North Korea is believed to be in retaliation for an ongoing propaganda campaign led by North Korean defectors and activists in South Korea. These individuals frequently send balloons filled with anti-Pyongyang leaflets, as well as essential supplies like food, medicine, money, and USB sticks loaded with K-pop music videos and dramas across the border.

Kim Yo Jong, a powerful ruling party official and the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, issued a statement on state media KCNA, criticizing Seoul for condemning the balloons while defending its own citizens’ freedom of expression. She described North Korea’s balloons as “gifts of sincerity” for South Koreans who yearn for freedom of expression. Kim Yo Jong pledged to send many more balloons than those sent by South Korea.

An official at Seoul’s presidential office acknowledged that North Korea may be testing the South’s reaction and promised a calm response. The official told reporters that North Korea’s use of balloons filled with rubbish and miscellaneous objects is an attempt to gauge the public’s reaction and determine if the government is vulnerable to psychological warfare and small-scale complex threats.

Seoul’s military has taken swift action in response to the situation. The explosives ordnance unit and chemical and biological warfare response team were deployed to inspect and collect the objects. Authorities have issued an alert advising residents to stay away from any sightings and report them to the appropriate authorities.

In addition to the balloon incident, North Korea attempted to jam GPS signals in South Korea early Wednesday morning. However, no damage was reported. The Donga Ilbo newspaper, citing unnamed government sources, reported on this development. Seoul’s defence ministry did not provide an immediate comment on the report.

Previous attempts to block such campaigns by the South Korean government were met with opposition. A ban on balloon launches was introduced in 2021 but was later deemed unconstitutional by a top court, which ruled it violated freedom of speech.

The two Koreas maintain large militaries along the border, and North Korea frequently threatens its neighbor with annihilation. Peter Ward, a research fellow at the Sejong Institute, commented that sending balloons is a less risky tactic compared to overt military actions. He noted that while these tactics are unpleasant for civilians who are ultimately targeted, they are more challenging to counter and pose less risk of uncontrollable military escalation.

Source: [Tribune](https://tribune.com.pk)