Incheon Airport Briefly Shuts Down Runways Due to North Korean Trash Balloons
SEOUL – South Korea’s Incheon International Airport experienced a temporary shutdown of its runways for approximately three hours before dawn on June 26, 2024, due to balloons filled with refuse launched from North Korea. The event occurred when one balloon landed on the tarmac near Terminal 2, prompting the closure of all three runways.
This incident is part of an ongoing pattern since late May, where North Korea has been sending hundreds of balloons containing trash into South Korea. The disruption, which took place between 1:46 AM and 4:44 AM, affected both domestic and international flights. Eight arriving cargo and passenger flights had to be diverted to Cheongju, Jeju, and Yantai in China. Several additional landings and departures were delayed by hours.
North Korea claims these balloon launches are a retaliation against South Korean activists and defectors who send balloons over the border carrying food, medicine, money, and critical leaflets. Among the items found in the North Korean balloons are paraphernalia such as Hello Kitty prints, worn-out clothing, and soil with human feces and parasites.
The Incheon International Airport Corporation confirmed the situation, reiterating that this was not the first occasion the airport faced operational disruptions due to North Korean balloons.