South Korea Detects 350 North Korean Balloons Amid Rising Tensions

Rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula, South Korea claimed to have seen 350 North Korean balloons on Monday, presumed to be garbage.

About 9 p.m. local time (8 p.m. ET), the Joint Chiefs of Staff from South Korea noticed a balloon in northern Gyeonggi Province, close to Seoul. About 100 balloons dropped in South Korea, mostly in northern Gyeonggi Province and Seoul; no harmful chemicals have thus far been discovered.

The Metropolitan government of Seoul issued an advisory warning people not to handle any fallen balloons and to report sightings to police.

The South Korean military responded by warning it might start loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts at the border, which had been stopped years ago. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said “Our military is ready to immediately start anti-North Korea propaganda broadcasts and will operate with flexibility according to the strategic and operational situation.”

Claiming they pay revenge against South Korean activists flying pamphlets critical of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, North Korea has flown over 1,000 balloons southward since May. Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un’s sister, issued a warning last Thursday when a South Korean advocacy group released 20 big balloons bearing anti-North Korean leaflets and USB drives with South Korean entertainment.

Examining North Korean balloons found worms in the ground, maybe from human excrement. Though there was no risk of contamination or contagious disease, the soil included roundworms, whipworms, and other trash. Along with Disney character imitations, the balloons carried damaged South Korean clothing and goods.

This dialogue takes place under growing tensions and halted inter-Korean diplomacy. Russian President Vladimir Putin inked a defense contract with North Korea not too long ago. Emphasizing Washington’s allegiance to its friend, a US Navy aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea for trilateral exercises with South Korea and Japan.