The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Kim Yo Jong, harshly criticized South Korean activists on Sunday for their use of balloons to send anti-regime propaganda leaflets across the border, threatening that they would face severe consequences.
Recent weeks have witnessed reciprocal balloon launches between the two Koreas, with North Korea responding to South Korean propaganda efforts by sending balloons filled with trash southward. According to a statement from Kim Yo Jong, a significant spokesperson for the regime, the latest discovery of 'filthy leaflets and items from the South Korean scum' was made in North Korean territory near the border. The statement was reported in English by the official Korean Central News Agency.
Kim Yo Jong revealed that North Korean military personnel are currently conducting an extensive search and disposal operation for the discovered materials. She emphasized that despite repeated warnings from North Korea, South Korean activists continue their 'crude and dirty' tactics. Kim Yo Jong warned that South Korea would endure significant humiliation and face a substantial price for their actions.
In retaliation, Pyongyang has launched over a thousand balloons carrying trash southward, claiming it is in response to balloons sent by South Korean activists containing propaganda critical of Kim Jong Un's leadership. In response to these actions, Seoul has halted a military agreement aimed at reducing tensions and resumed border propaganda broadcasts.
The relationship between North and South Korea is currently at a historic low, with North Korea intensifying its weapons testing and strengthening ties with Russia. Both Seoul and Washington have accused Pyongyang of supplying weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine, actions that would contravene numerous sanctions imposed on both nations. Earlier this year, North Korea designated South Korea as its primary adversary and has since abandoned diplomatic outreach efforts, focusing instead on enhancing border security.
