Despite Resuming Loudspeaker Broadcasts... North Korea Floats Trash Balloons for Consecutive Days

The military authorities announced that North Korea has once again released objects presumed to be 'anti-South Korea filth balloons.'

On the 9th at around 9:40 PM, the Joint Chiefs of Staff issued a message to the Ministry of National Defense press corps stating, "North Korea is once again releasing objects presumed to be anti-South Korea filth balloons," and "Currently, the wind direction is southwest and west, moving eastward from the northern Gyeonggi region." A Joint Chiefs official urged, "If you find a fallen balloon, please do not touch it and report it to the nearest military unit or police."

On the morning of the 9th, a North Korean floating balloon carrying waste for South Korea fell into a field in Inhuri, Sindun-myeon, Icheon-si, Gyeonggi Province. [Image source=Yonhap News]

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In response to North Korea's release of filth balloons the previous day, our military resumed loudspeaker broadcasts toward the North starting from the afternoon of the same day. The National Security Council (NSC) Standing Committee decided to resume loudspeaker broadcasts, and accordingly, the military reportedly operated several fixed loudspeakers in the frontline area for about two hours starting at 5 PM. However, the Joint Chiefs stated that since this pertains to military operations, they cannot disclose specific details such as the exact start time, locations, types, and quantities of the equipment used.

Less than three hours later, North Korea again released filth balloons, heightening tensions over the possibility of clashes.

Previously, North Korea used the excuse of South Korean civilian groups' leaflet distribution to the North to release filth balloons twice, on the 28th-29th of last month and the 1st-2nd of this month. Subsequently, on the night of the 2nd, in a statement issued under the name of Kim Kang-il, Vice Minister of the Ministry of National Defense, North Korea announced a "temporary suspension" policy but threatened that if South Korea continued leaflet distribution, they would respond by "concentrating the release of a hundredfold amount of tissue and filth."

Civilian groups sent large balloons containing leaflets, USB drives with K-POP and trot music by Lim Young-woong, and dollars to the North on the 6th and 7th. Although concerns were raised about potential further clashes due to leaflet distribution, the government maintained its policy to prioritize "freedom of expression" in accordance with the Constitutional Court's ruling declaring the Anti-Leaflet Act unconstitutional.

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