North Korea Again Releases Trash Balloons... Moving Toward Northern Gyeonggi

North Korea is once again sending trash balloons. Currently, the wind direction is westerly, and the balloons are moving toward the northern Gyeonggi region.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the 24th, North Korea launched balloons presumed to contain trash this morning, regardless of the operation of loudspeakers aimed at North Korea.

The Joint Chiefs urged, "Be cautious of falling payloads, and if you find any fallen balloons, do not touch them and report to the nearest military unit or police."

Earlier, when North Korea launched balloons on the 18th, the military partially operated loudspeakers. Then, when North Korea launched balloons again on the morning of the 21st, the military announced a full-scale operation of loudspeakers that afternoon and has continued broadcasting since.

In response, North Korea has been broadcasting loudspeaker noise toward the South daily since the 20th. This is presumed to be intended to interfere with listening to South Korea’s loudspeaker broadcasts. No specific messages or music are being transmitted.

Accordingly, the Joint Chiefs stated that further analysis is needed to determine whether this is to prevent North Korean soldiers and residents from hearing the South Korean loudspeaker broadcasts or if it is part of preparations for full-scale broadcasts toward the South.