The North is accused by South Korea of sending more trash balloons into its airspace.

In July, at least one North Korean balloon carrying trash landed on the South Korean presidential compound.

The North is accused by South Korea of sending more trash balloons into its airspace.
The North is accused by South Korea of sending more trash balloons into its airspace.

On Thursday, North Korea was accused by South Korea of sending more trash balloons over the border.

On Wednesday evening to early Thursday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff reported detecting approximately 420 balloons. Out of these, about 20 have been found in Seoul and Gyeonggi province, the South Korean capital and its surrounding area, respectively.

South Korea Koreas Tensions
Balloons are seen from the Unification Observation Post in Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.  (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Officials accused the North of launching more balloons into Thursday evening, stating that the balloons that landed were filled with paper waste, plastic bottles, and other trash but contained no hazardous materials.

If you encounter fallen balloons, report them to the police or military and refrain from touching them. No significant damage was immediately reported.

On Wednesday evening, the city government of Seoul issued text alerts, advising people to remain indoors and be cautious of falling objects, as North Korean balloons began appearing over South Korean territory.

Since March, the two Koreas have been involved in a Cold War-style psychological warfare, with the North launching thousands of balloons towards the South, filled with various materials such as wastepaper, cloth scraps, cigarette butts, and manure.

South Korea Koreas Tensions
A visitor stands near a map of North Korea, in Paju, South Korea, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

South Korean civilian activists flying anti-North Korean propaganda leaflets across the border have prompted North Korea's response with balloons.

In July, a North Korean balloon carrying trash landed on the South Korean presidential compound, prompting concerns about the security of crucial South Korean facilities. Officials stated that the balloon did not contain any hazardous materials and that no one was injured.

The North has been met with retaliation from South Korea in the form of loudspeakers blasting propaganda messages and K-pop songs.

The escalating tensions between North and South Korea are being exacerbated by the tit-for-tat campaigns and the growing nuclear ambitions of North Korea, as well as the expansion of joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

by Bradford Betz

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