North Korea sends more trash balloons to South amidst warning of 'new counteraction' by Kim Yo Jong
Kim Yo Jong and trash balloons (inset)
North Korea has once again sent hundreds of balloons filled with trash across the border into South Korea. According to a Yonhap News Agency report citing South Korea's military, Pyongyangfloated approximately 310 balloons overnight this time.
The fresh 'trashing' comes after a warning from Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, about a potential "new counteraction" against South Korea's loudspeaker broadcasts and leaflets.
No toxic material this time
"The latest batch of waste-loaded balloons sent late Sunday contained scrap paper and plastic, with no toxic material detected so far," reported Yonhap, quoting South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. By early Monday, no additional balloons were observed.
Kim Yo Jong's warning
In a statement issued on Sunday (June 9), Kim Yo Jong warned South Korea to halt loudspeaker broadcasts and the scattering of leaflets.
According to North Korea's state news agency KCNA, she cautioned, "If the ROK simultaneously carries out the leaflet scattering and loudspeaker broadcasting provocation over the border, it will undoubtedly witness the new counteraction of the DPRK."
Referring to the loudspeaker broadcasts, Kim said, "This is a prelude to a very dangerous situation."
On Sunday, South Korea resumed loudspeaker broadcasts targeting the North. This decision to continue with psychological warfare, as per Reuters, came after North Korea on Saturday (June 8) began launching 330 balloons with trash attached, with about 80 of them dropping over the border. The nation initially started this balloon warfare, labelled a "low class" move by the Seoul military in May, supposedly in retaliation for South's speaker propaganda.
South Korea's broadcasts, part of psychological warfare tactics, were initially halted under a 2018 agreement between the two Koreas' leaders but resumed following the recent provocations.
The loudspeaker broadcasts, which include world news, information about democratic and capitalist societies, and popular K-pop music, can be heard more than 20 kilometres (12.43 miles) into North Korea.
(With inputs from agencies)
