North Korea drops balloons full of rubbish and excrement onto South Korea
North Korea has launched a fleet of balloons reportedly filled with trash and excrement across the heavily fortified border with South Korea, sparking alarm in the neighbouring country.
More than 200 balloons are on the way, the South Korean military said and advised people to stay indoors.
It also cautioned people not to touch the white balloons or the plastic bags attached to them and report any sighting to the police or the military.
A photograph released by the military on Wednesday showed transparent plastic bags hanging from white inflated balloons in the sky. Another appeared to show trash strewn from a collapsed balloon with the word “excrement” written on a bag. The trash included plastic bottles, batteries, discarded shoe parts and manure, a military official said.
The military has deployed a bomb squad and chemical and biological warfare response teams to inspect and collect the fallen balloons and objects.
The launch by North Korea seems to be a tit-for-tat response to South Korean activists sending across balloons with information about their country’s democratic society and even memory devices with K-pop music videos.
North Korea on Sunday lashed out against the “frequent scattering of leaflets and other rubbish” on its soil. The country’s deputy defence minister vowed to exercise “strong power for self-defence” and warned that “mounds of waste paper and filth” would be sent to the South in retaliation for its flying “dirty things” to the North.
The neighbours have been sending balloons and propaganda leaflets across their border since the Korean War in the 1950s.
South Korea introduced a ban on balloon launches by activists in 2021 but it was ruled unconstitutional by a top court which said the prohibition violated freedom of speech.
The South Korean military condemned North Korea’s act as a “clear violation of international law”.
“It seriously threatens the safety of our people. North Korea is entirely liable for what happens due to the balloons and we sternly warn North Korea to immediately stop this inhumane and crass action.
The latest balloon incident comes amid heightened tensions between the two Koreas. North Korea’s attempt to put a second spy satellite into orbit on Monday ended in failure after it exploded mid-air, state media said, and the two neighbours exchanged heated words.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un vowed to take “overwhelmingly stern” action against South Korea for its response to his country’s launch of the spy satellite.
“This is a very dangerous provocation that cannot be ignored and a play with fire that we cannot forgive,” he said.
