Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, criticized South Korea, asserting that the sending of "garbage balloons" to the southern neighbor is part of North Koreans exercising their freedom of expression. Kim Yo-jong, Deputy Director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, stated that the garbage balloons and waste sent from North Korea to the south are a matter of freedom of expression for the North Korean people and politely requested Seoul's understanding. She questioned, "Is the direction in which the balloons fly what determines whether this is about freedom of expression or international law?"