- author, Kelly Ng
- role, BBC News
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North Korea has dropped at least 150 garbage-laden balloons into South Korea, prompting authorities to warn residents to stay indoors.
South Korea’s military also warned its citizens not to touch the white balloons and the plastic bags attached to them as they contained “filthy waste and garbage.”
The balloons were found in eight of South Korea’s nine provinces and are currently being analyzed.
North and South Korea have used balloons in propaganda operations since the Korean War in the 1950s.
South Korea’s military had previously said it was investigating whether the balloons contained North Korean propaganda leaflets.
The incident came days after North Korea said it would retaliate against South Korean activists for “frequent scattering of leaflets and litter” in the border area.
“Large amounts of waste paper and filth will soon be strewn across the border and inland South Korea, and South Korea will experience firsthand how much effort it will take to clean it up,” North Korea’s Vice Defense Minister Kim Kang-il said in a statement to state media on Sunday.
The Republic of Korea or ROK is the official name of South Korea, while North Korea is called DPRK or the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Late Tuesday, residents living north of South Korea’s capital Seoul and in border areas received text messages from provincial authorities urging them to “refrain from outdoor activities.”
They were also urged to report any “unidentified objects” they spotted to the nearest military base or police station.
Image source, South Korean military
Photos shared on social media showed bags stuffed with toilet paper, black soil and batteries attached to white, translucent balloons.
Some of these photos feature police officers and military personnel.
“Some of the falling balloons were carrying what appeared to be human waste, judging by their dark colour and smell,” South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported.
South Korea’s military condemned the action as a “clear violation of international law.”
“This is a serious threat to the safety of our people. North Korea bears full responsibility for what happened with the balloons and we sternly warn it to immediately stop this inhumane and brutal act,” the military said.
In addition to anti-Pyongyang propaganda, South Korean activists have launched balloons loaded with cash, banned media content and even Choco Pie, a South Korean snack that is banned in North Korea.
Earlier this month, a South Korea-based activist group claimed to have flown 20 balloons across the border carrying anti-Pyongyang leaflets and USB sticks containing South Korean pop music and music videos.
The Seoul National Assembly passed a law in December 2020 making the distribution of anti-Pyongyang leaflets a criminal offense, but critics have raised concerns about freedom of speech and human rights.
North Korea has also launched balloons south to attack the leader in Seoul. In one such launch in 2016, the balloons were reportedly loaded with toilet paper, cigarette butts and trash. Seoul police described them as “dangerous biochemical substances.”
Additional reporting by Jake Kwon in Seoul
