North sends trash balloons for 3rd straight day

The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea said that North Korea sent over balloons laden with trash on Friday, the third straight day of the aerial barrage.

A garbage-laden balloon is seen rising from Kaepung County in North Hwanghae, North Korea, as viewed from the South's Odusan Unification Observatory in Paju, Gyeonggi, on Thursday morning. [YONHAP]

North Korea sent another round of trash-laden balloons over the border for the third straight day on Friday, according to the South Korean military.

"North Korea is continuing to float what is believed to be garbage-filled balloons aimed at the South," the Joint Chief of Staffs (JCS) said in the afternoon. "Due to changing wind patterns, the balloons could drift toward northern Gyeonggi."

The JCS urged residents to exercise caution regarding potential falling debris and advised against touching any balloons. Instead, people are asked to report sightings to the military or local police.

North Korea has launched balloons on four occasions over the past three days — Wednesday night, Thursday morning and afternoon as well as Friday afternoon.

This latest round of balloon launches brings the total to 15 incidents since late May of this year.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]