North Korea flies trash balloons to South Korea

North Korea launched a large-scale "filth attack" on Tuesday night, sending over 260 balloons filled with trash and manure into South Korea. This is the first time such a massive balloon attack has occurred so quickly. The balloons landed in central Seoul and other areas, including North Jeolla and North Gyeongsang provinces. Some even reached the rooftops of the Seoul Government Complex and the Foreign Ministry building, just 4.5 kilometers from the presidential office in Yongsan. There are serious concerns about the potential danger if these balloons had carried bombs or biological or chemical weapons, as they were hard to intercept. On Wednesday, North Korea also carried out a GPS jamming attack off the west coast, likely to increase disruption.

On Tuesday night, the military reported that the balloons began crossing into South Korea from the Gyeonggi and Gangwon borders near the demilitarized zone. By Wednesday, they had reached several districts in Seoul, as well as Gangwon, South Gyeongsang, and North Jeolla provinces. Balloons were even found in a rice field in Wicheon-myeon, Geochang County, South Gyeongsang Province, over 250 kilometers from the truce line. Gunpowder was discovered near the balloons in Muju County, North Jeolla Province, and Gyeryong City, South Chungcheong Province, leading to an ongoing investigation.

This attack follows a threat North Korea made on Sunday in response to leafleting by North Korean defectors. They warned that "mounds of wastepaper and filth" would soon be scattered over South Korea. Some observers believe North Korea may continue its provocations, especially after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un accused South Korea of staging an armed demonstration against their satellite launch, calling it "an unpardonable provocation." In response, the South Korean military has warned North Korea to "immediately stop its inhumane and low-class actions."


Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com