Lee Hyo-jin covers the Bank of Korea, the banking industry and broader financial news. Her previous beats include foreign affairs, North Korea and general reporting on Korean society.
What are S. Korea's options to tackle NK's trash balloons?
Balloons carrying garbage sent by North Korea is seen in the skies over Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
By Lee Hyo-jin
Calls grow for feasible countermeasures as damage caused by balloons escalates
North Korea’s continued launch of trash-filled balloons across the border is proving to be a significant challenge for the South Korean military. Although officials are following established protocols by retrieving the debris after it lands, there are growing demands to take stronger measures to stop these balloon incursions due to escalating concerns about public safety.
Since late May, North Korea has launched more than 6,000 trash-filled balloons, with the most recent one occurring on Monday morning, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The latest batch included around 120 balloons that landed mostly in Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province.
In recent months, these balloons have disrupted 172 flights, including both international and cargo planes, according to data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport.
They have also caused fires due to heat-generating timers attached to the balloons that apparently separate the payload. Last Friday, the roof of an apartment complex in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, caught fire after a balloon landed. Additionally, two factories in Paju and Gimpo, also in Gyeonggi Province, experienced fires in September.
The financial toll is growing, especially in Seoul and surrounding areas where the balloons frequently fall.
According to Rep. Park Sang-hyuk of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), data from the Seoul Metropolitan Government indicates that the city may need to cover 120 million won ($89,000) in compensation for 58 damage complaints from residents affected by the trash balloons. These complaints include damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles.
Passengers sit on a plane bound for Paris at Incheon International Airport as their departure is delayed due to North Korea's trash balloons, Friday. Yonhap
The balloons have even breached high-security locations, including the presidential compound and the government complex in Seoul. Experts caution that the explosive nature of the balloons poses a significant risk of disaster if they land on critical infrastructure.
"If these balloons fall on railroads or LPG gas stations, it could lead to a major incident claiming lives," Cho Han-bum, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told The Korea Times.
Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies, said, "It is concerning that, based on data accumulated from over 20 launches, the North seems to have gained significant knowledge of the amount of gas needed to target our capital, depending on the wind direction and speed."
Despite the heightening risks, officials in Seoul are struggling to find realistic countermeasures.
Complicating matters for them is the apparent shift in North Korea's intentions behind the balloon launches. Initially, Pyongyang claimed the balloons were in retaliation against anti-North Korean leaflets sent by South Korean civic groups, many of which consist of defectors from the North.
"The regime has continued the balloon campaign even after the leaflet launches stopped. This suggests that the balloons are now a tit-for-tat response to South Korea's use of loudspeakers along the border," Yang said.
In late July, South Korea resumed propaganda broadcasts across the border in response to the balloon launches. These broadcasts operate simultaneously from fixed loudspeakers in the border regions at full volume.
A military official said that the broadcasts are still operating from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. but declined to provide further details, citing operational secrecy.
"Instead of blasting the broadcasts day and night, our military should use the broadcasts more flexibly depending on the North's behavior, such as switching them on only when it launches the balloons and turning them off when it remains silent for days," Cho said.
Military officials retrieve debris from North Korea's trash balloons that fell on a parking lot near the Government Complex in Seoul's Jongno District on Sept. 20. Joint Press Corps
Yang suggested that an ideal scenario would be for both Koreas to agree to a moratorium on psychological warfare, although this seems unlikely given their hawkish stances and the absence of a communication channel.
The professor also mentioned the possibility of international organizations such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) — where both South and North Korea are member states — mediating to ease tensions caused by the balloons.
He added, "Unless the government takes swift action, we are going to see thousands of more balloons since conditions are becoming more favorable for North Korea’s balloon launches, with winds blowing southward in the fall."
Some conservative politicians have called for more aggressive measures, such as targeting the locations from which the balloons are launched. However, experts caution that this could lead to military conflicts in the border regions.
The JCS said it will review appropriate measures regarding the balloons while remaining vigilant about the potential wildfires they could cause.
"If the garbage balloons land in mountainous areas, they could potentially cause wildfires," JCS spokesperson Col. Lee Sung-joon said during a briefing, Tuesday. "The military is sharing information with relevant agencies and quickly informing the public of related information, and if a wildfire does occur, related agencies will respond promptly."
When asked whether the military believes North Korea has crossed the line with its balloon offensive, Lee replied, "We will assess whether the line has been crossed or not and take appropriate action accordingly. It's difficult to provide details in advance."
In September, the JCS warned that it will take decisive military action if the continued release of garbage balloons poses a serious threat to the safety of the South Korean people or is deemed to have crossed the line.
The military did not specify what that action would entail, but ruled out shooting the balloons down once they enter South Korean territory. This was due to concerns that unexpected hazardous substances could spread, posing an even greater risk to public safety.