According to “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, South Korea,” South Korea has warned North Korea to stop sending trash balloons crossing their borders. Concerning this response from South Korea, North Korea has stopped this practice in its neighboring countries. News companies have published that the leader of North Korea, “Kim John Un”, has confirmed that the government has sent trash balloons to South Korea to mitigate the threat of “Scatter mounds of waste paper and filth” in North Korea. Despite that, North Korea has launched more trash balloons carrying trash towards the south following a similar campaign related to recitation for activists lying anti-north Koreans across the border.
The Relation Between North Korea Trash Balloons and Pollution Control
Starting from the night of Tuesday, 28th May 2024, the trash balloons transferring waste from North Korea have increased difficulties for the pollution control unit in South Korea. The Joint Chief of Staff in South Korea stated that they found several trash balloons the next morning. Specifically on 29th May 2024.
These balloons contain trash, including scattered plastics, paper sheers, and dirt from the sidewalks on main roads. Considering some threat in the face of trash, the local governments of Gyeonggi and Gangwon have alerted their residents to be far away from any “Unidentified Objects.” Also, the government has advised reducing outdoor activities. However, the military of South Korea is not satisfied with these results. They searched far for this trash, and later on, it was confirmed that all of it was trash from those balloons by “Kim John Un”.
Why did North Korea send Trash Balloons to South Korea?
On Wednesday, 29th May, Kim Yo Jong accepted that they deployed those trash balloons to ensure the safety of their country. This action aims to send waste paper to South Korea in reaction to previous South Korean campaigns related to leafleting by South Korean activists.
South Korean Military Response
The defense force of South Korea did not shoot the incoming balloons to reduce potential damage on the ground. In response to this action, South Korea suspended a 2018 military agreement with North Korea. The agreement concerns a brief period for inter-Korean requirements related to two parts of Korea to settle down all cease-fire acts on their border areas. With this suspension, Cho Chang Rae, South Korea’s deputy defense minister, has said.
The responsibility for this situation lies solely with North Korea. If North Korea launches additional provocations, our military, in conjunction with the solid South Korea-U.S. defence posture, will punish North Korea swiftly, strongly and to the end.
South Korea’s deputy defence ministerFurther Procedures of South Korea for this Course of Action
The balloon campaign was not the first provocation caused by North Korea to South Korea. As sources of Korean LII have said, “In the past, North Korea has fired some nuclear-capable weapons as a trial in South Korea. Moreover, South Korea has jammed the GPS navigation systems of South Korea.” Responding to North Korea, South Korea suspended the deal due to criticism from opposition lawmakers and activities with excellent connections with North Korea. Further, the South Korean constitutional court has stuck down a contentious law to please the anti-pyongyang balloon flying.
As the rivalry related to the trash balloons goes back to the old days, neither the two nations nor the world is ready for a cold war again. However, as per the latest update and sending of more than 700 balloons, Kim Kang II, vice-defence minister from North Korea, has stated that the trash balloon activity would cease. The issue raised with the leaflets that South Korea was sending created a worldwide tension, which for now seems to have settled.
