North Korea launches over 150 trash bag balloons into South, disrupting air traffic

By Efe Ozkan

ISTANBUL (AA) - North Korean military floated more than 150 trash bags into Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi province on Wednesday, briefly halting air traffic in the area, according to South Korean officials.

The bags, filled with household waste such as paper, plastic bags, and bottles, contained no hazardous materials, Yonhap News reported.

This marks the 23rd such launch by North Korea since the start of its "trash campaign" in late May. Since May 28, North Korea has launched more than 3,600 trash-filled balloons in retaliation for balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent by North Korean defectors in South Korea.

In response, South Korea has been conducting daily anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts through loudspeakers along the border since mid-July.

The trash balloon launches and propaganda broadcasts come as South Korea is considering a new vision for unification on the Korean Peninsula. The proposed plan emphasizes the "principle of liberal democracy," while North Korea has indicated it will redefine its relationship with Seoul and no longer seek unification.

In Pyongyang, authorities have started renaming locations that previously referenced reunification. Tongil Station, which means Reunification Station, has been renamed Moranbong Station after its location near Moranbong Park in the North Korean capital.