North Korean Balloons Intrude into South Korea: A New Normal

Uninvited Guests: North Korean Balloons Drift into South Korea

On a typical day in Seoul, Hong Yoongi found himself in an unusual situation near the National Assembly building. As he walked along the grounds, his gaze was drawn to an unexpected sight: a balloon that had floated in from North Korea. This unexpected arrival was no ordinary balloon; it had crossed the inter-Korean border and traversed the Han River, eventually landing in the heart of South Korea’s political landscape.

On Thursday, the authorities responded promptly to this peculiar intrusion. Military personnel, clad in white protective suits, masks, and gloves, arrived on the scene to manage the aftermath of the balloon’s arrival. Scattered debris, including waste paper and used plastic bottles, lay strewn across the area, a testament to the payload these balloons carried.

Over the past five days, North Korea had launched hundreds more balloons, causing a stir in the South. This latest wave of balloon activity seemed to be a direct reaction to earlier provocations from North Korean defectors residing in South Korea. These defectors had sent their own balloons across the border, filled with leaflets that criticized Kim Jong-un, along with USB drives containing popular K-pop songs and beloved K-dramas.

The South Korean military has reassured citizens that the North’s balloons are devoid of “harmful substances.” Nevertheless, these airborne nuisances have been landing indiscriminately in various locations, including farms, public parks, and even residential neighborhoods. In a notable incident in July, some balloons descended within the grounds of the presidential office in Seoul.

Reflecting on his experiences, Mr. Hong noted that he had spotted another balloon near his home in Bundang, just south of Seoul, a few months prior. However, he added, “The balloons haven’t impacted my daily life at all.” This sentiment resonates with millions of South Koreans who live alongside a nuclear-armed adversary, often dismissing such provocations with a sense of nonchalance.

For many, the true annoyance lies not in the balloons themselves but in the barrage of notifications from the government. Ahn Jae-hee, a Seoul resident, expressed his frustration, saying, “The most bothersome part about the balloons is the countless warning texts I receive from the authorities.” In recent days, officials have dispatched over a dozen safety alerts, advising the public to report any sightings of the balloons and to avoid touching them. These alerts, sent to mobile phones across the nation, include the balloons’ general locations.

The South Korean military has indicated that they prefer to wait for the balloons to land before conducting inspections, rather than shooting them down and potentially scattering their suspicious contents. In response to these provocations, Seoul has resorted to broadcasting anti-North Korean propaganda and K-pop music through loudspeakers placed near the Demilitarized Zone that separates the two countries.

According to Wooyeal Paik, the deputy director at the Yonsei Institute for North Korean Studies, “The balloons represent low-intensity provocations from the North, and South Koreans have no substantial reason to react.” He emphasized that, unlike the surveillance balloons from China that were observed over the United States last year, there is no evidence of espionage linked to these North Korean balloons, nor do they appear to carry any weapons.

Historically, propaganda balloons were a common tactic during the Cold War, with both Koreas deploying them to disseminate leaflets denouncing each other’s governments. After a period of dormancy, this method has resurfaced in recent times. “The balloons have become the new normal,” remarked Mr. Hong, encapsulating the ongoing, peculiar dynamic between the two Koreas.