NK resumes trash balloon campaign, 25th launch this year

Balloons sent by North Korea, thought to be carrying garbage, are seen flying above Seoul on Monday. (Yonhap)

North Korea sent yet another fleet of garbage-filled balloons southward early Monday, marking the 25th such provocation this year and potentially adding to the property damage and injuries the balloons have caused already.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the balloons, presumed to be filled with trash, are projected to move toward the greater Seoul area, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province. The JCS advised citizens not to approach the balloons and warned of potential danger when they fall to the ground.

The JCS confirmed in a Monday briefing that some of the balloons sent previously have carried gunpowder and timed detonators, albeit not of sufficient power to cause an actual explosion. "The ignition timer on the balloon activates the heating wire as the payload is separated (from the balloons)," a JCS official said, saying the mechanism could start a fire, especially if a balloon were to land in a forest.

The North had most recently launched trash balloons on Friday, causing a small fire on the roof of an apartment in Namyangju city, Gyeonggi Province. Another balloon in September led to a fire at a warehouse in the city of Paju -- also in Gyeonggi Province -- causing 87.3 million won ($64,700) in property damage.

North Korea has been sending thousands of trash-filled balloons toward South Korea since May 28 as a form of retaliation against anti-North Korea leaflets sent across the border by civic activists here.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the city so far has paid 78.8 million won in compensation to residents for damage caused by the balloons. Combined with other pending damage claims, total compensation is expected to be around 120 million won.

The claims range from damage to cars and buildings to minor injuries among people hit by the balloons.

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)