Reports from South Korean Ministry of National Defense and international news agencies

North Korea Sends Over 260 Balloons with Trash, Excrement, and Batteries to South Korea in Retaliation

May 29, 2024, 12:40 PM

North Korea has launched over 260 balloons carrying trash, excrement, plastic bottles, batteries, and shoe parts into South Korea. The South Korean military detected the balloons crossing the heavily fortified border, prompting a mobilization of chemical and explosive response teams. This act is seen as a retaliation for anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent by South Korean activists in May. South Korea has warned residents near the border to be on alert and to report any balloon sightings to authorities. The South Korean military has condemned the action as 'inhumane and vulgar,' and a violation of international law. Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, sarcastically compared the sending of balloons with garbage to South Korea as a 'gift of sincerity.'