North Korea rained down more balloons carrying garbage and waste on its southern neighbor on Saturday, which Seoul considers a response to an ongoing propaganda campaign from defectors and activists in South Korea who are sending balloons across the border containing anti-Pyongyang leaflets, food, medicine, money, and USB storage devices loaded with banned videos in North Korea.
Earlier this week, North Korea had already sent hundreds of balloons filled with garbage and waste, which South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik described as "a trivial and unimaginable act."
A statement reported that the South Korean military requested that citizens refrain from touching the balloons and report them to the authorities. Kim Yo-jong, deputy director of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea and sister of the country's leader, stated in a Wednesday announcement that the garbage balloons sent from North Korea to the south are a "gift of friendship" to the people of Seoul, and she called for "understanding from Seoul" regarding this issue as a matter of freedom of expression for the North Korean people.
Kim questioned: "Does the direction in which the balloons fly determine whether it concerns freedom of expression or international law?" according to the South Korean news agency Yonhap.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in South Korea condemned the balloon launches, stating: "These actions by North Korea clearly violate international law and seriously threaten the safety of our people."
On Saturday, Seoul warned its citizens about the possibility of North Korea sending more balloons filled with garbage and waste and urged them to report them to the army or police. According to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, the balloons were filled with trash bags that included used batteries, cigarette butts, and what appeared to be manure. The Defense Ministry stated that it had requested other local departments to disseminate similar messages.
