There are observations that North Korea might carry out gunfire or shelling on South Korea.
South Korea’s Defense Minister Shin Won Sik stated in an interview with Japanese media that the situation is closely monitored.
According to Yonhap News, Shin mentioned that North Korea might shoot or shell locations where North Korean defector groups are launching balloons with leaflets toward North Korea.
In an interview with the Yomiuri Shimbun, Shin said, “Kim Yo Jong, the deputy director of North Korea’s Workers’ Party, warned of a change in response in a statement on July 16, criticizing the leaflet distribution by South Korean civic groups.”
He explained, “There is also a possibility that they might shoot down balloons used for leaflet distribution or carry out gunfire or shelling on the locations where the balloons are launched, so we are closely monitoring the situation.”
Shin indicated that North Korea might respond to the leaflet distribution by South Korean civilian groups with provocations such as laying landmines, using drones to distribute leaflets, disrupting GPS signals, or conducting cyber attacks.
The Yomiuri Shimbun reported that this interview with Shin occurred in Seoul on Monday.
Meanwhile, North Korea continues to send trash balloons toward the South, disregarding the South Korean military’s loudspeaker broadcasts.
According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), on July 24, North Korea launched balloons suspected of containing trash this morning. The current wind direction is from the west, and the balloons are moving toward northern Gyeonggi Province and some areas of Seoul.
The JCS advised, “Please be cautious of falling objects, and if you find a fallen balloon, do not touch it and report it to the nearest military unit or police.”
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