The “balloon wars” in the Korean Peninsula have intensified after activists in South Korea claimed that they had sent balloons carrying anti-North Korean propaganda across the border. According to The Guardian, a group of North Korean defectors called the ‘Free North Korean Movement’ launched 10 large balloons filled with 200,000 leaflets critical of the North Korean regime, as well as US dollar bills and flash drives loaded with K-Pop.
How did it start?
This action comes amid heightened cross-border tensions, following North Korea’s release of nearly 1,000 balloons filled with rubbish, cigarette butts, and what appeared to be excrement. This provocative move was in retaliation against South Korean groups that used similar balloon tactics to disseminate information critical of the Kim regime and promote positive messages about life in South Korea.
The leaflet campaigns by defectors have long been a source of contention between the two Koreas, often leading to escalations in hostility. Earlier, the Kim Jong Un-led North reportedly agreed to a temporary halt in balloon flights after Seoul warned of “unendurable” measures, including the resumption of ear-splitting propaganda and pop music, broadcasts via a network of loudspeakers positioned along the demilitarized zone (DMZ).
History of North-South Animosity
The conflict between North and South Korea dates back to the Korean War, which lasted from 1950 to 1953. Although the war ended in an armistice, the division between the two nations persisted, leaving both countries devastated. Since then, North and South Korea have maintained a tense military standoff, marked by periodic clashes. Despite the end of the Cold War, the conflict remains unresolved and continues to this day.