South Korea retaliates to North’s trash balloons with loudspeaker broadcasts

North Korea floated balloons carrying trash towards South Korea, prompting the South Korean military to respond with “full-scale” loudspeaker broadcasts near the heavily armed border. The South warned that the North’s actions could have fatal consequences and declared that the North Korean regime would be solely responsible. Activists and defectors in South Korea have been sending their own balloons carrying propaganda leaflets into North Korea for years, angering Pyongyang. In response to the North’s actions, South Korea decided to resume its round-the-clock loudspeaker broadcast campaign targeting North Korea. Since May, North Korea has been floating thousands of balloons with bags of trash attached, causing tension between the two Koreas. South Korea’s broadcasts, which include propaganda, world news, and K-pop music, are seen as an effective form of psychological warfare by military officials and activists. In light of the escalating tensions, the South Korean military vowed to continue its loudspeaker broadcasts to counter North Korea’s provocative actions.

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