Hey remember 2023? When shooting down mysterious balloons was all the rage? Well, like many events in 2024, things have gotten slightly worse; it seems North Korea sent hundreds of balloons full of human waste and garbage over South Korea this week.
Yeah, that’ll make you think twice about where the balloon you’re shooting down is going to fall. The South Korean military made the accusation that North Korea is dropping trash and human waste filled bags via balloons on Wednesday. Balloons were found all over the countryside south of the 45th parallel, especially in the providence of Geochang according to the Yon Hap News Agency. Overnight, the hermit kingdom is alleged to have sent over 250 balloons over the border. Similar events occurred in 2016 and 2018, but this is the largest incursion of crap from North Korea ever. From NBC News:
South Korea’s defense ministry told NBC News that North Korea had also disrupted GPS frequencies in the de facto sea border between the two countries.
“These acts by North Korea violate international law and threaten our people’s safety,” said South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, urging North Korea to cease its “inhumane and vulgar behaviors” immediately.
The barrage follows a warning from North Korea’s vice defense minister about a “tit-for-tat action” after anti-Pyongyang leaflets were sent over the border recently by South Korean activists.
The activist sent over about 20 balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang leaflets as well as thumb drives with k-pop music and South Korean media. In response, the North Koreans sent over 200 balloons filled with old bits of shoes and garbage as well as some simply marked “excrement.” Korean officials advised the public to avoid such balloons and contact authorities immediately if spotted.
North Korea is a land of extremes. On one hand, the dictatorship is nuclear capable, on the other, it still needs to load up diplomats on hand-push train cars occasionally. Things are deeply weird in that country and likely only getting weirder. North Korea officially abandon all efforts to unify the peninsula in March, which Kim Jong Un believes allows North Korea to “annihilate” South Korea as an enemy nation, according to the Arms Control Association. North Korea also continues to develop new weapons systems (non-poop based ones) even as its population continues to live in oppressive poverty.