South Korea recently identified 350 North Korean balloons suspected of carrying waste, sparking renewed tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The balloons were spotted flying in northern Gyeonggi Province, bordering Seoul, with about 100 landing in South Korean regions. Fortunately, no hazardous substances were found in the balloons that landed in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province.
Following the incident, Seoul's Metropolitan government issued a notification urging citizens not to touch the balloons and report any sightings to authorities. The South Korean military warned of the possibility of resuming loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts at the border in response to North Korea's actions.
North Korea has been sending balloons towards South Korea since May, in retaliation for South Korean activists flying leaflets critical of Kim Jong Un's regime. A recent analysis of balloons sent in late May and early June revealed parasites in the soil, potentially originating from human feces.
Amid escalating tensions, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a defense agreement with North Korea, while Kim Jong Un vowed to expand the country's nuclear arsenal. The US Navy aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea for trilateral exercises with South Korea and Japan, reaffirming Washington's commitment to its ally.
US, South Korean, and Japanese officials expressed concern over the deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, condemning arms transfers that violate UN Security Council Resolutions and threaten regional stability.
