By Canadian Press

Trash carried by a North Korean balloon again falls on the presidential compound in Seoul

Oct 23, 2024 | 7:09 PM

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Trash carried by a North Korean balloon fell on the presidential compound in central Seoul on Thursday, South Korean officials said.

It’s the second such case since North Korea began floating trash-carrying balloons toward South Korea since late May in a resumption of Cold War-style psychological campaign.

South Korea’s presidential security service said the trash fallen on the presidential compound Thursday morning carried no dangerous items.

It wasn’t immediately known whether President Yoon Suk Yeol was at the compound at the time of the North Korean balloon landing.

Experts say North Korea likely lacks sophisticated technology to drop balloons on specific targets.

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South Korea’s Dong-A Ilbo newspaper reported earlier Thursday that North Korea’s latest balloons contained propaganda leaflets criticizing President Yoon and his wife Kim Keon Hee along with trash.

The newspapers said the leaflets were scattered in areas in Seoul’s Yongsan district, where Yoon’s presidential office is located, and noted that North Korea has recently begun using GPS technology to drop balloons more accurately in intended locations.

North Korea has earlier accused South Korea of infiltrating drones to drop propaganda leaflets over Pyongyang three times this month and threatened to respond with force if it happened again. South Korea has refused to confirm whether it sent drones but warned that North Korea would face the end of its regime if the safety of South Korean citizens is threatened.

In July, rubbish carried by at least one North Korean balloon landed on the Korean presidential compound, raising worries about the security of key South Korean facilities. South Korean officials said at the time the rubbish contained no dangerous material and no one was hurt.

The Associated Press