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 ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE./File Photo
SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korea on Sunday floated balloons carrying trash towards South Korea, South Korea's military said, declaring it would respond with "full-scale" loudspeaker broadcasts.
The South Korean military said the North's actions raising tensions near the heavily armed border could have fatal consequences, adding the North Korean regime would be solely responsible.
"As we warned several times, the military will carry out loudspeaker broadcasts in full scale and on all fronts starting 1 p.m. today," the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, calling the North's launch of balloons vulgar and shameful.
Activists and defectors in South Korea have for years sent their own balloons carrying propaganda leaflets and other items into North Korea, angering Pyongyang.
Earlier this week, South Korea's military decided to resume its round-the-clock loudspeaker broadcast campaign targeting North Korea in response to what it called the despicable launch of balloons by Pyongyang carrying trash across the border.
Since May, North Korea has been floating thousands of balloons with bags of trash attached to them, which have become a new source of tension between the two Koreas.
Blaring propaganda, world news and K-pop music, South Korea's broadcasts are considered by military officials and activists as an effective form of psychological warfare.
(Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Sandra Maler and Lincoln Feast.)
