North Korea copies 'response methods' with trash balloons and loudspeakers...

North Korea has once again sent trash balloons toward the South. This marks the 10th time this year that North Korea has released trash balloons, and it is also broadcasting loudspeaker messages toward the South, which is being analyzed as an attempt to 'copy our response methods.'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the 24th, North Korea released a balloon presumed to contain trash that morning. The wind direction is from the west, and the balloon is moving toward the northern Gyeonggi region.

North Korea has repeatedly sent trash balloons since May in response to leaflets being distributed by defector groups. In response, the Joint Chiefs of Staff raised the level of countermeasures and partially resumed loudspeaker broadcasts toward the North on the afternoon of the 18th. Three days later, on the 21st at 1 p.m., they switched to operating all loudspeakers in the frontline area simultaneously. It is known that the South Korean military currently possesses a total of 40 loudspeakers aimed at the North, including 24 fixed and 16 mobile units. The military plans to continue loudspeaker broadcasts until North Korea stops preparing to release trash balloons toward the South.

In response, North Korea has also been confirmed to have started broadcasting loudspeaker messages toward the South since the 20th. The broadcasts do not transmit specific messages or music but only emit noise such as 'jijik, jijik.' The military is analyzing whether this is to prevent North Korean soldiers and residents from hearing the South’s loudspeaker broadcasts or if it is a preparation for full-scale broadcasts toward the South. However, considering the performance of North Korean loudspeakers, it is assessed that soldiers and residents near the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in North Korea are not at a level where they cannot hear the South’s loudspeaker broadcasts.

Lee Seong-jun, spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated, "Currently, the loudspeaker broadcasts toward the North are airing South Korea’s development achievements and K-POP." He added, "We are closely monitoring North Korean military movements following the loudspeaker broadcasts toward the North."

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