At least 260 balloons containing trash have been thrown by North Korea into the South, causing authorities to advise locals to stay inside.
The white balloons with plastic bags attached were accompanied with a warning from South Korea’s military not to be touched by the general people due to the presence of “filthy waste and trash”.
The balloons are presently undergoing analysis after being discovered in eight out of nine regions in South Korea.
Since the 1950s Korean War, both North and South Korea have used balloons in their propaganda campaigns.
The military of South Korea has previously declared it was looking into the possibility of North Korean propaganda materials being within the balloons.
The latest episode happened a few days after North Korea threatened to strike back at South Korean activists who “regularly scatter leaflets and other rubbish” in border areas.
“Mounds of wastepaper and filth will soon be scattered over the border areas and the interior of the ROK and it will directly experience how much effort is required to remove them,” stated Kim Kang Il, North Korea’s vice-minister of defense, in a statement released to state media on Sunday.
South Korea is officially known as the Republic of Korea, or ROK, whereas the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or DPRK, is the moniker given to the northern region.
Residents in the border region and north of Seoul, the capital of South Korea, got text messages late on Tuesday from their provincial administrations requesting that they “refrain from outdoor activities”.
In addition, they were instructed to report any “unidentified object” they saw to the closest police station or military installation.
Images circulated on social media depict bags strung to white, translucent balloons that are filled with a variety of items, including batteries, toilet paper, and dark soil.
Some of these photos show officers from the police and the military.
According to the Yonhap news agency in South Korea, “judging from its dark color and odour, some of the fallen balloons carried what appears to be faeces.”
The incident was deemed a “clear violation of international law” by the military of South Korea.
“It puts our people’s safety in grave danger. The military declared, “We firmly warn North Korea to immediately stop this inhumane and crass action. North Korea is entirely liable for what happens due to the balloons.”
Activists in South Korea have launched balloons with cash, prohibited media content, and even Choco Pies, a South Korean food that is prohibited in the North, in addition to spreading anti-Pyongyang propaganda.
An activist group based in South Korea stated earlier this month that it had crossed the border with 20 balloons with anti-Pyongyang pamphlets and USB drives with Korean pop music and music videos on them.
In December 2020, the Seoul parliament enacted a rule making it illegal to distribute anti-Pyongyang pamphlets. However, some have expressed worries about the law’s impact on free speech and human rights.
Additionally, North Korea has attacked Seoul’s leaders with balloons launched southward. It was stated that during one such launch in 2016, the balloons carried trash, toilet paper, and cigarette butts. They were deemed “hazardous biochemical substances” by Seoul police.
