South Korea Issues Warning Over North Korea's Balloon Campaign

South Korea's military on Monday issued a warning, stating it would take "stern" measures if North Korea's ongoing balloon campaign poses a serious threat to South Korean citizens.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) made the announcement in response to North Korea's repeated launches of trash-carrying balloons across the border, some equipped with timer devices that could ignite fires.

Since late May, North Korea has launched approximately 5,500 balloons on over 22 occasions, claiming the actions are in retaliation for anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent by defectors and activists in South Korea. In a recent incident from Sunday evening to Monday morning, the North released around 120 balloons. No additional balloons were reported in midair, according to the JCS's notice to reporters.

The JCS acknowledged the inconveniences caused by the balloon campaign but emphasized the need to demonstrate that such actions yield no benefit for North Korea. "If serious danger is caused to the safety of our citizens or if the North is assessed to have crossed the line, our military will take stern military measures," the statement said, though it did not specify what constitutes crossing that threshold.

While the South Korean military has refrained from shooting down the balloons, it dismissed calls for such action, citing potential risks to public safety. The JCS condemned the North's balloon campaign as a "globally embarrassing" and "vulgar" act aimed at inciting conflict within South Korea.

In response to the balloon launches, South Korea has been broadcasting anti-North Korean propaganda daily through loudspeakers along the border since July 21.