North Korea again launched balloons carrying debris into South Korea on Wednesday, breaking a lull that has lasted since late September.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said about 60 bundles of rubbish were found in Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi Province in the latest launch, which was the 23rd since the North launched the campaign in late May.
The bundles contained household rubbish such as paper, plastic bags and plastic bottles, and no hazardous substances were found, according to the JCS.
Some of the balloons flew near Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, causing a temporary halt to aircraft landings and takeoffs for 14 minutes from 6:14 a.m., the airport operator said.
Authorities halted runway operations when the North’s debris balloons flew near the airport for safety reasons.
The launch was the first since September 22, when South Korea formally warned the DPRK that such actions could lead to “decisive military measures.” Pyongyang, however, ignored the threats and resumed its controversial practice, which represents another element of tension on the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea has already carried out 23 such launches since the end of May, sending more than 5,600 balloons carrying various debris and propaganda materials into South Korean territory. These actions have raised concerns not only because of their apparent provocative nature, but also because of the possible environmental and sanitary threat posed by the large amount of discarded materials.
South Korea’s military has vowed to take “severe” military action if North Korea “crosses the line” in its ongoing rubbish balloon launch campaign or causes serious harm to the South Korean people.
In response to the balloon launches, the South’s military has been broadcasting anti-North Korean propaganda daily through loudspeakers on the border since July 21. They have refrained from directly shooting down the balloons, citing security concerns.
