Fires ignited by North Korea's trash balloons likely accidental: South's military

The South Korean military believes recent fires attributed to trash-laden balloons from North Korea were ignited accidentally.

This suspected timed heater from a North Korean trash balloon was found on Monday at a factory near Gimpo Airport, where a fire broke out last Thursday. [YONHAP]

The South Korean military believes recent fires attributed to trash-laden balloons from North Korea were ignited accidentally.

On Monday, debris that officials suspect came from a North Korean balloon was discovered on the roof of a factory near Gimpo Airport, on the western outskirts of Seoul, where a blaze last Thursday resulted in an estimated 100 ($74,000) to 200 million won in property damage.

The blaze, which began at around 3:30 a.m., damaged the building of the auto parts plant, which is located just two (1.24 miles) or three kilometers from Gimpo Airport, an important transport hub and military airfield. Firefighters took an hour and 17 minutes to extinguish the fire.

Fire authorities are still investigating the blaze.

On Sunday, a fire broke at a warehouse in Paju, Gyeonggi, after a North Korean trash balloon landed on the building's roof, resulted in 87.3 million won in damages.

The military believes that malfunctioning "timed heaters" intended to cause the trash bags to scatter their contents mid-air are to blame.

"The fires might have occurred because the timed heaters intended to separate the balloons from their payloads did not function properly," said Lee Chang-hyun, a Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) spokesperson, during a press briefing on Tuesday.

Lee said the timed heaters on the balloons function differently from explosive detonators.

"The timer attached to the balloon is designed to burn through the plastic bag carrying trash after a certain period," he said, adding that "no [other] flammable materials or explosives have been detected so far."

North Korea sent trash-laden balloons across the border over five consecutive days from Sept. 4 through Sunday. Authorities believe the regime launched over 1,600 balloons during this period.

According to the JCS, each balloon carries a plastic bag filled with waste connected to a wire attached to a timed heater.

However, in case of a malfunction — such as when the balloon deflates early — the timed heater could go off while in contact with its payload on the ground, increasing the risk of fire, particularly if flammable materials are nearby.

With the dry autumn season approaching, some experts warn that the trash balloons could ignite destructive wildfires.

In light of these risks, there have been calls to strengthen the military's response, regardless of whether the fires are intentional.

The military, however, has decided to stick with its current strategy of collecting the balloons after they land.

"Shooting down the balloons mid-air could lead to greater debris dispersal or stray bullets, so we believe that the safest approach is to let them land naturally and retrieve them as quickly as possible," the JCS spokesperson said. "We will work closely with the police to develop preventive measures to minimize potential damage."

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