North Korea announced on Sunday that it will cease sending trash-filled balloons into South Korea, following South Korea’s vow to take severe retaliatory actions.
Kim Kang II, a North Korean vice defense minister, stated that the balloons were launched in response to South Korea’s previous leaflet campaigns, which criticized North Korean leaders. These campaigns aimed to inform North Koreans, who have limited access to external information, about their leadership.
Kim indicated that North Korea might resume sending these balloons if South Korea continues its anti-Pyongyang leaflet activities. “We made the [Republic of Korea] clans get enough experience of how much unpleasant they feel and how much effort is needed to remove the scattered wastepaper,” Kim stated in a release by North Korean state media, as reported by The Associated Press (AP).
Earlier on Sunday, South Korea pledged “unbearable” measures in response to the provocations. According to experts, these measures could include front-line loudspeaker broadcasts into North Korea, targeting civilians with criticisms of their government’s human rights violations, world news, and K-pop music.
South Korea’s military reported discovering over 700 balloons from North Korea on Sunday, after finding 260 earlier in the week. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff noted that the balloons were filled with manure, wastepaper, and other trash. North Korea claimed to have sent 3,500 balloons carrying 15 tons of wastepaper.
South Korean officials indicated that their severe retaliatory steps would address the balloon launches, alleged GPS signal jamming by the North, and recent nuclear strike simulations conducted by North Korea.
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