South Korea has warned residents living near the border with North Korea to be alert after media reported that more than 90 balloons carrying various objects, including garbage and excrement, were detected, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
The South Korean military said unidentified objects believed to be from North Korea had been spotted near the heavily fortified border and urged people not to approach and to report them to the military or police.
p>
To date, more than 90 balloons have been found, with some of them landing on the ground and others still in the air, Yonhap News reported, citing a military source.
Photos published in South Korean media show an inflated white balloon with a plastic bag tied to it, and another image shows what appears to be a fallen balloon with trash strewn around it.
North Korea's vice defense minister issued a statement on Sunday threatening to use "powerful force for self-defense” and warned that "heaps of rubbish and filth“ in response to Seoul airdropping "dirty stuff” of North Korea.
For years, South Korean activists have been sending North Korea glitter balloons criticizing its leaders and USB sticks with K-pop music videos.
North Korea and South Korea remain technically at war since the Armistice Agreement ended fighting in the 1950-1953 Korean War, Reuters recalls.