SEOUL: South Korea accused North Korea of sending balloons across the border, dropping trash and excrement. They labeled the act as base and dangerous. This incident heightens tension between the two nations.
The military deployed units to inspect and collect objects, including an explosives ordnance unit and a response team. An alert advised residents to report sightings and keep away from the area.
Local media reported over 150 balloons detected by Wednesday, some landed while others remained airborne, per military sources.
Balloons have regularly been sent the other way by South Korean activists, often led by North Korean defectors.
Those balloons carry leaflets with messages critical of Pyongyang, stirring tension between the neighbours, including incidents when the North reportedly tried to shoot them down.
Photographs released by the South Korean military on Wednesday showed inflated balloons with plastic bags tethered to them. Other images appeared to show trash strewn around collapsed balloons, with the word “excrement” written on a bag in one photograph.
On Sunday, North Korea’s vice defence minister issued a statement vowing to exercise “strong power for self-defence” and warned that “mounds of waste paper and filth” would be sent to the South in response to its flying “dirty things” to the North.
Furthermore, South Korea Accuses North of undermining trust and goodwill between the two nations. The reckless act of sending balloons with trash demonstrates a blatant disregard for diplomatic norms. Hence, it’s crucial for both sides to engage in constructive dialogue to address grievances and foster mutual understanding.
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