South Korean authorities said Wednesday they had detected balloons carrying garbage in the country's airspace, likely sent by North Korea, in what the AP said was another round of psychological warfare between the warring neighbors.
The city government of Seoul, the capital of South Korea, sent out text message alerts Wednesday saying suspicious objects had been spotted north of the city. The messages advised residents to stay indoors and be careful about falling objects.
There have been no reports of injuries or serious damage so far, the Associated Press reported.
Balloons with trash
Authorities said the detected objects were garbage balloons, probably sent by North Korea.
“The balloons will likely fly toward the northern part of Gyeonggi Province, depending on the wind direction,” the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. Gyeonggi is the country's most populous province and is home to Seoul.
North Korea has sent thousands of balloons toward South Korea in recent weeks. They contain, among other things, waste paper, fabric scraps and cigarette butts.
The AP agency points out that this is a typical example of psychological warfare techniques that North Korea uses against its neighbor. In turn, South Korea regularly throws propaganda leaflets across the border and plays recordings of popular K-pop songs.
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