REVISES WITH SOUTH KOREA CONDUCTS LOUDSPEAKER BROADCASTS IN RESPONSE TO BALLOONS CAMPING; CHANGES HEAD, DECK, LEDE
By Muhammed Enes Calli
ISTANBUL (AA) — South Korea's military on Sunday conducted propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts near the border with North Korea in response to Pyongyang's latest launch of trash-carrying balloons into South Korea.
The broadcasts took place in the "afternoon", the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, without providing further details, including the kind of equipment that was used, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.
Seoul's response came hours after North Korea once again sent balloons presumably carrying trash to South Korea amid heightened tensions between the neighboring arch-rivals.
"Whether there will be additional broadcasts of our military's loudspeakers depends entirely on North Korea's actions," it said in a text message sent to reporters. "We strongly urge (the North) to immediately stop its despicable acts, such as the launches of waste balloons."
North Korea has launched hundreds more balloons carrying trash toward South Korea over the past two days, Seoul's military said.
As of 10 a.m. (local time), the Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had detected some 330 waste-filled balloons since Saturday, with more than 80 of them landing inside South Korea and the rest apparently failing to reach the country.
"The Joint Chiefs of Staff advised people not to touch the objects and report them to nearby military or police authorities, and cautioned of possible damage from the balloons, adding the balloons may move southward overnight due to a change in the direction of the wind," said the news agency.
- S. Korea to resume propaganda broadcasts
In response, South Korea said it would install loudspeakers near the border and resume propaganda broadcasts Sunday, in response to Pyongyang's "repeated" launches of trash-carrying balloons.
South Korea's National Security Council convened an emergency meeting and approved the measure, a day after the North floated the balloons in retaliation against South Korean civic groups' recent launch of balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets across the border.
"Although the measures we are taking may be difficult for the North Korean regime to endure, they will deliver messages of light and hope to the North Korean military and citizens," the presidential office said in a release.
Last November, North Korea ended a five-year military pact with South Korea. The deal aimed at lowering military tensions. The decision by Pyongyang came amid heightening military activities on the Korean Peninsula where the US has closed ranks with Seoul and Japan.
In February, the North Korean parliament voted to end economic cooperation agreements with South Korea.
Seoul’s move to suspend the 2018 inter-Korean tension reduction pact came after Pyongyang airdropped balloons of trash into South Korea, drawing condemnation from Seoul.
Pyongyang confirmed it sent 3,500 balloons from last Tuesday until Sunday. Seoul said it detected 1,000 balloons which caused damage to properties.
The balloons carried 15 tons of debris, according to North Korean Vice Defense Minister Kim Kang-il.
Kim said Pyongyang will halt airdropping trash if South Korea stops sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets into North Korea.
*Aamir Latif in Karachi contributed to this report