North Korea has again started to launch balloons carrying trash across the border into South Korea, according to official reports on Sunday. This action comes a week after North Korea pledged to continue the practice if anti-North Korea leaflets were disseminated from the South.
Dozens of trash-laden balloons have been discovered in Seoul and bordering areas throughout the night and early Sunday. The South Korean military confirmed late on Saturday that North Korea had resumed the launches.
South Korea has threatened to implement “unendurable” measures against North Korea for the trash balloon launches, which could include blasting propaganda broadcasts from large loudspeakers positioned at the border, directed towards the North.
The North Korean government has justified the balloon launches as retaliation to the anti-North leaflets distributed by South Korean activists as part of a propaganda campaign. Since late May, hundreds of balloons carrying 15 tons of trash and manure have been launched.
Notably, in 2018 the leaders of the two Koreas signed an agreement declaring peace and harmony vowing to ease military tensions to reduce the chances of another war breaking out.
Tensions have escalated as North Korea has continued to develop ballistic missiles and declared South Korea as its “enemy number one”. North Korea has unveiled a range of weapons that it claims are aimed at the South.
