Article informationAuthor, Tom McArthurRole, BBC News24 June 2024, 12:17 BSTUpdated 1 hour agoParasites from human waste and defaced Hi Kitty clothes had been present in luggage of garbage carried via North Korean balloons into South Korea, officers say.Greater than 1,500 waste-carrying balloons had been launched via Pyongyang around the border since Would possibly, in retaliation for a leaflet marketing campaign despatched northwards via fighters of North Korean chief, Kim Jong Un.Research of one of the vital balloon applications detected “roundworms, whipworms and threadworms” within the soil. The risk of an infection from the parasites within the applications is low, South Korea’s ministry of unification confident folks.Different pieces carried via the balloons incorporated slashed “western” garments that were donated from the South – together with pieces that includes Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, and Hi Kitty characters, in step with Reuters information company. There have been additionally socks, garments and closely patched-up kids’s garments. Symbol caption, South Korea’s army condemned the balloon drops as a “transparent violation of global legislation”The waste despatched via North Korea additionally printed the rustic’s woeful financial state, and highlighted “the adverse stance in opposition to South Korea”, a ministry legit mentioned.The soil used to be almost certainly inflamed with the parasites as a result of human faeces used to be used as an alternative of chemical fertilisers within the North, the ministry added.North Korea says the balloons are retaliation for a propaganda marketing campaign via North Korean defectors and South Korean activists who often ship balloons the opposite direction, sporting meals, medication, money and leaflets criticising the North’s regime. The 2 Koreas have not too long ago stepped up their cross-border tit-for-tat propaganda struggle. Because the north despatched trash floating southward, the south has additionally been blasting pop songs and information pieces over the border from tough loudspeakers. Monday noticed any other set of balloons despatched around the border, with South Korean officers caution folks to watch out for falling items.Symbol caption, An previous wave of balloons dumped garbage throughout South KoreaAn activist within the South instructed the AFP information company that he had this week floated extra balloons sporting propaganda leaflets in opposition to the north.South Korea’s army not too long ago cautioned the general public in opposition to touching the white balloons and the plastic luggage connected to them as a result of they comprise “filthy waste and trash”.Along with anti-Pyongyang propaganda, activists in South Korea have up to now introduced balloons sporting pieces together with money, banned media content material, or even Choco Pies – a South Korean snack banned within the North.In Would possibly, a South Korea-based activist team claimed it had despatched 20 balloons sporting anti-Pyongyang leaflets and USB sticks containing Korean pop tune and tune movies around the border.
