North Korea has sent approximately 500 balloons filled with trash into South Korea’s airspace over the past 24 hours, causing disruptions to flights and even starting a fire on a residential building. These balloons are part of a propaganda campaign against North Korean defectors and activists in the South, who often send balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang leaflets, medicine, money, and K-pop videos.
The trash balloons have affected air traffic at airports in South Korea, with suspensions of take-offs and landings at Seoul’s Gimpo Airport and disruptions at Incheon Airport. In Gyeonggi province, a balloon caught fire on a residential building, which was extinguished by firefighters. South Korea’s military has warned that some balloons were equipped with timed poppers that could start fires.
As of Thursday, approximately 480 balloons had landed in South Korea, mostly carrying paper and plastic trash. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson, Lee Sung-jun, stated that these balloons are designed to pop and release trash after a certain period of time, causing further pollution. Some of the trash balloons even landed near the presidential office in Seoul.
This ongoing escalation highlights the tension between North and South Korea and the impact of such propaganda campaigns on civil society. The trash-filled balloons pose a threat to public safety and highlight the need for continued monitoring and response to such provocations.
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