The balloons, which were found across South Korea, carried toilet paper, batteries and suspected poo.

North Korea has dropped at least 260 balloons carrying rubbish in the South, prompting authorities to warn its residents to stay indoors.

South Korea’s military also cautioned the public against touching the white balloons and the plastic bags attached to them because they contain “filthy waste and trash”.

The balloons have been found in eight of nine provinces in South Korea and are now being analysed.

  • Canary9341English
    21·
    6 months ago

    “Mounds of wastepaper and filth will soon be scattered over the border areas and the interior of the ROK and it will directly experience how much effort is required to remove them,” North Korea’s vice-minister of defence Kim Kang Il said

    They are truly diabolical. It is an unprecedented escalation, I think they are one step away from total war.

      • Canary9341English
        9·
        6 months ago

        Sorry if I’m being rude, but in a context where threats of destruction and announcements of new missiles are the norm, suddenly throwing garbage bags into your neighbor’s yard and saying “will directly experience how much effort is required to remove them” strikes me as too funny! Like a parody of a B-series villain.

        • pooberbee (they/she)English
          8·
          6 months ago

          Not rude. Per the article, this is North Korea’s response to groups in South Korea sending balloons with propaganda leaflets and stuff (unsolicited care packages, basically) north. It seems they feel the south isn’t doing enough to prevent these.

          It seems more childish than diabolical, but I would do the same probably as a last resort. Like throwing somebody’s McDonald’s bag back into their car.