SEOUL – North Korea has escalated its provocative balloon campaign against South Korea:North Korea has escalated its provocative balloon campaign against South Korea, launching additional balloons filled with trash across the border on Sunday, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. This recent activity comes shortly after a similar incident earlier in the week, underscoring the ongoing tensions between the two Koreas.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the South Korean military reported that these balloons, likely filled with garbage, are part of a series of launches that began in late May. The North’s actions are in retaliation against the leaflets that criticize the Pyongyang regime, distributed by North Korean defectors and activists based in the South. The Joint Chiefs of Staff have issued a warning that the balloons could drift towards Seoul and the adjacent Gyeonggi Province, potentially impacting these densely populated areas.
The South Korean military has chosen not to shoot down the balloo
ns, citing safety concerns. Instead, they have opted to counter the North’s actions by intensifying their psychological warfare tactics. Since July 21, South Korea has conducted daily propaganda broadcasts directed northwards, using loudspeakers installed along the border. These broadcasts are part of South Korea’s strategic response to what they view as psychological warfare from the North.
The ongoing balloon launches have caused significant concern in South Korea, as the debris from these balloons poses both environmental and safety risks. The situation continues to highlight the fragile state of inter-Korean relations and the challenges in managing provocations that can escalate tensions further.