North Korea has recently sent balloons filled with trash across the border into South Korea. One of these balloons has landed on South Korea’s presidential compound for the first time. South Korea’s military reported on 25th July that the trash-filled balloons are designed to burst and may start fires. A similar balloon reportedly caused a fire in a residential building. Balloon that landed near President Yoon Suk-yeol’s office in central Seoul did not contain any dangerous materials or cause any injuries.
The firefighters used a fire extinguisher to contain burning debris on the building’s roof. Reuters reports that balloons from North Korea carried the debris. Colonel Lee Sung-jun, Public Affairs Director of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated that they did not previously know the balloons carried “dangerous substances.”
An official at the Korea Airports Corporation reported that they suspended flights at Seoul’s Gimpo airport on the evening of July 24. This was due to a suspected balloon in the vicinity. South Korea’s military stated that North Korea had recently sent about 500 balloons laden with trash into its airspace.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff announced earlier that North Korea had launched more balloons towards its territory. Seoul city authorities asked residents to report the objects and avoid touching them. It marks Pyongyang’s 10th round of balloon launches this year, just days after South Korea announced increased propaganda broadcasts across the heavily militarized border. North Korea has sent over 2,000 balloons since May, prompting South Korea to resume broadcasts for the first time in six years.
The balloons are equipped with timers to release their contents midair. They have contained refuse like cigarette butts, wastepaper, used batteries, and compost. They haven’t caused injuries or significant damage. However, their potential to carry hazardous materials like chemical and biological agents has raised security concerns in South Korea.
Pyongyang said the balloon launches are in response to activists in South Korea floating leaflets and USBs into its territory. This Pyongyang claims is in an attempt to undermine the regime of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Team BharatShakti (with inputs from Reuters)
