North Korea has announced it will cease sending balloons filled with trash into South Korea after the South threatened “unbearable” retaliation, Associated Press reports.
The move comes after South Korea discovered hundreds of balloons carrying various waste materials sent from the North. North Korea’s decision to suspend the balloon launches is seen as a response to South Korea’s potential punitive actions. South Korea was expected to resume loudspeaker broadcasts into North Korea, including world news and K-pop songs, but it is now unclear if the South will move ahead following the North’s decision to suspend balloon launches. However, North Korea threatens to resume its trash-filled balloon campaign if South Korean activists resume sending anti-North propaganda leaflets via balloons.
This escalation comes amidst increased tensions between the two Koreas, including alleged GPS signal jamming by the North and simulated nuclear strikes against the South. Experts suggest that North Korea’s balloon campaign aims to exacerbate divisions within South Korea and raise tensions ahead of the US presidential election.
