• Trash balloons land near S Korea president’s office
• A specialist response team collected the balloons, which posed no contamination or safety risk
• The balloons also landed in other parts of Seoul, prompting officials to advise residents to avoid contact
• Both Koreas have a history of using balloons for propaganda since the Korean War
• This year, North Korea has intensified its launches, sending thousands of balloons across the border since May

Trash balloons land near S Korea president’s office

North Korean balloons carrying rubbish have landed in South Korea’s presidential compound in Seoul, marking the first time balloons from Pyongyang have breached the no-fly zone around the South Korean leader’s office. A chemical, biological, and radiological warfare response team collected the balloons, which posed no contamination or safety risk.

The South Korean military refrained from shooting down the balloons to prevent spreading their contents. The balloons also landed in other parts of Seoul, prompting officials to advise residents to avoid contact and report sightings to the nearest military unit or police station.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff noted that the balloons, carried by westward winds, were likely to land in northern Gyeonggi province, the country’s most populous region, including Seoul. The incident follows South Korea’s resumption of propaganda broadcasts along the border in response to escalating balloon launches by the North.

Both Koreas have a history of using balloons for propaganda since the Korean War. This year, North Korea has intensified its launches, sending thousands of balloons across the border since May. Wednesday’s launch was the tenth this year, purportedly in retaliation for balloons sent by South Korean activists containing anti-Pyongyang leaflets, food, medicine, money, and USB sticks with K-pop videos and dramas.