The balloons from North Korea are back in the South, with one key difference. Some of these have been found with timers attached. Colonel Lee Sung-Jun, JCS Public Affairs Director said, “There is such a timer attached to the trash balloons, which has the effect of blasting the balloons and spreading the trash after a certain period of time.” In the most recent lot of balloons sent to the South, roughly 500 have been spotted in 24 hours on Wednesday. This is the 10th such batch of balloons sent by Pyongyang. One trash balloon even landed in the presidential compound in Seoul. Another balloon caused a fire on a rooftop. They have disrupted flight schedules. Takeoffs and landings were suspended for two hours at Soeul’s Gimpo airport. Traffic at South Korea’s main airport at Incheon has also been disrupted several times in recent weeks.
The first trash balloons this year from North Korea started coming in in the month of May. South Korea’s military responded by renewing its border broadcast. This involves using loudspeakers near the border with North Korea with anti-Pyongyang propaganda. Activists in South Korea have also sent balloons of their own to the North carrying food, money, and USB-sticks with K-pop videos and dramas. Jeon In-Sun, a resident of South Korea said these balloons have made him more anxious. “I’m more worried as I live in an area not very far from the border, but I think the feeling is mutual for those living far away. Last time, there was a case that a balloon launched from the South was shot by the other side (North Korea) and fell on South Korean territory. Also, a recent news report said the South can respond (to the trash balloons) using firearms, which worries me.”
North and South Korea have both used propaganda balloons since the Korean War of the 1950s. In 2018, the North and the South signed their most substantive deal to reduce tensions.
The two Koreas continue to technically be at war but the 2018 deal aimed to reduce tensions and avoid an accidental escalation, especially along the heavily fortified border. Last year, after Pyongyang’s successful spy satellite launch, Seoul partially suspended the agreement in November. The North then said it would no longer be bound by the deal. Tensions between the two neighbours have heightened in recent months.
