Balloons carrying rubbish from North Korea have landed in South Korea’s presidential compound in Seoul, marking the first time such balloons have reached this no-fly zone.
South Korean officials dispatched a chemical, biological, and radiological warfare response team to retrieve the balloons, which were found to pose no contamination or safety risk.
Local news site Yonhap reported that the South Korean military chose not to shoot down the balloons due to concerns that doing so might disperse their contents further.
The balloons also landed in various other areas of Seoul, prompting officials to advise residents to avoid touching them and to report any sightings to the nearest military unit or police station.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff noted that with the prevailing westerly winds, balloons intended for the South are likely to end up in Gyeonggi province, where Seoul is located.
This incident follows recent escalations in balloon launches, with South Korea restarting propaganda broadcasts from loudspeakers along the border in response to increased North Korean activity.
The use of balloons for propaganda purposes dates back to the Korean War, with both Koreas employing them throughout the years.
The latest incident represents the North’s tenth balloon launch of the year, which North Korea claims is in retaliation for balloons sent by South Korean activists.
These balloons allegedly carried anti-Pyongyang leaflets, as well as food, medicine, money, and USB sticks with K-pop content.
Source-BBC
