North Korea sends 330 trash balloons to the South

The South Korean military estimated the number of waste balloons sent by North Korea on Saturday to be around 330, following the launch of propaganda leaflets against the Pyongyang regime by activists from the southern part of the peninsula in a similar manner.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul announced in a statement on Sunday, "So far, about 80 (balloons) have fallen in our area, and nothing has been detected in the air at present."

They explained that analysis of the balloons showed they did not contain "dangerous materials."

The South Korean military had announced on Saturday that it was on alert in anticipation of the possible arrival of new balloons filled with waste from North Korea.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon commented in a Facebook post that "North Korea is committing a new vile provocation by launching waste balloons into our civilian areas."

On the other hand, North Korea announced that it would resume its loudspeaker propaganda campaigns toward the south on Sunday in response to the balloon launches.

The presidency stated in a declaration, "We will install loudspeakers towards North Korea today and begin broadcasting" propaganda materials, indicating that "the North bears full responsibility for escalating tensions between the two Koreas."

AFP