**North Korea Escalates Propaganda War with Trash Balloons Over South Korean Border**
SEOUL, South Korea – In an escalating propaganda battle, North Korea has resumed its tactic of sending balloons filled with trash across the border into South Korea, officials confirmed on Sunday. This move comes a week after Pyongyang threatened to retaliate if South Korea continued to allow the dissemination of anti-North Korea leaflets.
Residents of Seoul and areas close to the demilitarized zone reported finding dozens of these trash-laden balloons overnight and into the early hours of Sunday. The South Korean military, which had noted the resumption of balloon launches by the North late on Saturday, has expressed grave concerns over the provocations. “We take these actions very seriously and are on alert to respond as necessary,” a military spokesperson stated, without detailing the nature of potential responses.
The South Korean government has previously warned of “unendurable” countermeasures, which could include restarting propaganda broadcasts across the border using large loudspeakers, a tactic that has been used in the past during periods of heightened tensions.
The North’s decision to send these balloons, some filled with trash and even manure, is said to be in direct retaliation to the leaflet campaigns conducted by South Korean activists. These campaigns have involved sending balloons into North Korea carrying leaflets critical of the regime, along with USB sticks loaded with K-pop music videos and dramas, and even U.S. currency.
On June 2, North Korea had announced a temporary halt to its balloon campaign, claiming the 15 tons of trash already sent should be sufficient to express its displeasure. However, it vowed to resume the practice if provoked by further leaflet drops, promising to send “hundred times the amount.”
The leaflet campaigns and loudspeaker broadcasts have historically elicited strong reactions from Pyongyang, including shooting at the balloons and speakers. Experts interpret these aggressive responses as evidence of the North Korean regime’s sensitivity to any efforts that might undermine its control over the population and challenge the narrative set by Kim Jong Un’s leadership.
As tensions simmer, both nations remain locked in a war of words and symbols, with the international community watching closely. The ongoing propaganda exchanges underscore the fragile state of inter-Korean relations and the challenges ahead in navigating peace on the peninsula.
(Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)