Thursday, January 1, 2026

North Korea’s Latest Stunt: Sending Trash Balloons to South Korea

A North Korean balloon carrying propaganda materials was spotted flying over Seoul’s Jongno district on the 8. / Newsis

On Monday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reported that North Korea launched another balloon carrying trash and propaganda materials early that morning. This marks the 31st balloon provocation by North Korea this year, occurring 25 days after October 24.

The JCS warned, “Given the current wind patterns, these balloons could potentially drift toward Gyeonggi Province and the Seoul metropolitan area.”

They added, “We urge citizens to be cautious about falling debris. If you spot any balloons, do not touch them and instead report them to the nearest military installation or police station.”

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