GANGHWA, South Korea - A group of North Korean defectors has escalated its campaign against Pyongyang by launching 200 plastic bottles filled with rice, U.S. dollar bills, and USBs from the western border island of Ganghwa. This action intensifies concerns about potential retaliation from North Korea, which may involve sending balloons loaded with trash over the border.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the defector organization responsible, this form of protest has been a monthly occurrence. The most recent dispatch took place on Saturday morning. Previous efforts on June 7 involved approximately 500 plastic bottles. Keunsaem aims to provide North Koreans with food and information bypassing strict control measures imposed by their government.
In a related event, another defector group from the border city of Paju released 20 balloons carrying about 300,000 leaflets, U.S. dollars, and USB sticks loaded with a popular K-drama and songs on Thursday night. These activities have provoked a sharp response from North Korea. On Friday, Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, hinted at possible retaliatory measures involving trash-carrying balloons, condemning the defectors' actions.
The escalation of these cross-border exchanges raises significant concerns about the stability in the region and the potential for increased tensions between the two Koreas.