South Korea’s military has reported that North Korea has resumed sending balloons likely containing refuse across the border. This activity follows a recent defense pact between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The balloons, which were observed heading south, contain items such as human waste, old clothes, and other refuse. South Korean authorities have advised citizens not to touch these balloons and to report them to the military or police.
This recent balloon campaign started in late May, as a retaliation by North Korea against South Korean activists who send anti-regime leaflets and other items across the border. North Korea's Kim Yo Jong indicated the continuation of these actions in response to the leaflet campaigns.
In a countermeasure, the South Korean military reinstated anti-North Korean loudspeaker broadcasts along the border, after a six-year hiatus, playing K-pop songs and news critical of North Korea.
The new wave of balloons has escalated tensions, with South Korean, U.S., and Japanese officials condemning the burgeoning military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, citing concerns for regional peace and global security.