SEOUL — North Korea has escalated its provocative campaign of sending trash balloons over the border, with the South Korean military reporting the fourth launch since Wednesday. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) confirmed that the latest balloons, detected on Friday evening, could drift toward northern Gyeonggi Province, influenced by prevailing winds.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the JCS issued a notice to reporters at 6:38 p.m. detailing the continued balloon launches which have seen an increase in activity over the past three days. This follows a detection of around 260 trash balloons launched from North Korea from Thursday night to early Friday, with approximately 140 trash bundles recovered in Seoul and surrounding areas.
The materials found in these bundles primarily consisted of paper and plastic bottles. The JCS confirmed that no hazardous substances have been identified in the recovered items. The ongoing balloon campaign, which began in late May, is seen as a retaliatory act by North Korea against the distribution of anti-Pyongyang leaflets by defectors and activists based in South Korea.
In a counter-response, the South Korean military has intensified its psychological operations against the North, including resuming daily broadcasts of anti-North Korean propaganda through border loudspeakers since July 21. This measure is part of a broader effort to counter what North Korea perceives as a cultural and informational threat to the stability of the Kim Jong-un regime.
The situation remains tense as both nations continue to engage in activities aimed at influencing public sentiment and governmental policies across the border.