North Korea has launched more balloons, likely carrying debris, towards South Korea on Sunday. This escalation comes just two days after South Korea resumed its anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts across the border. This retaliation was triggered by North Korea’s previous balloon campaigns that had sent leaflets and other materials into South Korea.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that the North Korean balloons were spotted flying north of Seoul, the South Korean capital, after crossing the border. The public has been advised to be vigilant for any falling objects and report any sightings to the police or military authorities.
The latest balloon incident further threatens to escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Earlier, South Korea had warned that it would conduct more extensive loudspeaker broadcasts and take stronger action if North Korea persisted with provocations like balloon launches.
Since late May, North Korea has launched numerous balloons carrying debris like scraps of cloth, cigarette butts, waste batteries, and even manure. While these items haven’t caused significant damage in South Korea, their symbolic act of defiance has raised concerns.
North Korea initially claimed that its balloon campaigns were in response to South Korean activists sending political leaflets to the North via their own balloons. This activity is viewed by North Korea as a threat to its leadership, as the country restricts access to foreign news for most of its 26 million citizens.
Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, issued a statement on Tuesday warning that South Korean “scum” would pay “a gruesome and dear price” for the leafleating activities. She further claimed that more South Korean leaflets had been found in North Korea, raising fears that North Korea might resort to physical provocations beyond balloon launches.
In response to North Korea’s balloon campaigns, South Korea has suspended a 2018 tension-reduction deal with North Korea. This move paved the way for the resumption of propaganda broadcasts and front-line live-fire military drills near the border. On June 9th, South Korea carried out propaganda broadcasts for two hours at the border.
The latest developments highlight the fragile state of inter-Korean relations and the potential for further escalation. The use of balloons as a tool for propaganda and intimidation has become a dangerous precedent, raising concerns about a possible return to military confrontation on the Korean Peninsula.
