North Korea Continues To Disrupt GPS Signals And Send Waste Loaded Balloons To South Korea

The balloons loaded with garbage were flown in from North Korea and landed in Muju, South Korea on May 29, 2024. (Jaconbuk Fire Headquarters/AP)

JAKARTA - North Korea has sent about 720 more balloons containing solids to South Korea and continues to disrupt GPS signals for five consecutive days against South Korea.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on Sunday said it detected about 720 balloons floating across the Military Demarcation Line separating the two Koreas and falling in various regions of the country.

The balloons were detected between Saturday at 20.00 and Sunday at 13.00 local time.

"About 20 to 50 balloons move per hour in the air and descend in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, North Chungcheong Province, and North Gyeongsang Province," said a JCS official who did not want to be named, as reported by Antara.

The official later stated that no additional balloons were detected after 13.00.

The balloons contain various kinds of garbage, such as cigarette butts, paper, and plastic bags, the same as previous balloons.

North Korea previously flew about 260 balloons filled with garbage and dirt to South Korea earlier this week after the country warned of retaliation for anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent by South Korean activists.

The number of balloons is the same as the total number observed every year in the 2016-2017 period.

JCS advised the public not to touch these objects and to report them to the nearest military or police.

JCS also warned that the balloons might pose a danger.

The South Korean military sent a team to retrieve debris, instead of shooting down balloons, as it was likely the balloons contained toxic chemicals that could not be completely ruled out.

Although so far there have been no reports of injuries, the Seoul City government said it would operate an emergency center 24 hours a day to respond to these objects.

North Korea has disrupted GPS signals near the border since Wednesday (29/5). The country launched a GPS disruption attack on waters near South Korea's northwestern border island for four consecutive days on Saturday.

North Korea also fired artillery streaks from super large rocket launchers into the East Sea on Thursday (30/5) in a drill, which it said was to show its determination to carry out a preliminary attack on South Korea.