South Korea to suspend military pact with North over trash balloons

FILE PHOTO: A plastic bag carrying various objects including what appeared to be trash that crossed inter-Korean border with a balloon believed to have been sent by North Korea, is pictured in Seoul, in this picture provided and released by the Defense Ministry, June 2, 2024. The Defense Ministry/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea plans to suspend a military agreement signed with North Korea in 2018 aimed at easing tensions, the presidential office said on Monday, after Seoul warned of a strong response to balloons launched by Pyongyang carrying trash to the South.

North Korea has launched hundreds balloons carried by wind across the border that dropped trash throughout South Korea, which called it a provocation and rejected Pyongyang's claim it was done to inconvenience its neighbour.