Korean Tensions Flare as Pyongyang Floats Trash-Laden Balloons, Launches Missiles

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Balloons with trash presumed to be sent from North Korea hang on electricity wires Wednesday as South Korean soldiers stand guard in Muju, South Korea. Photo: VCG

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula escalated this week, after North Korea floated hundreds of balloons carrying trash south across the border and later launched a series of ballistic missiles into the sea.

Over 260 giant balloons laden with bags of “filth and garbage” arrived from the North beginning Tuesday night, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and media reports.

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North Korea escalated tensions by sending over 260 balloons filled with trash into South Korea and launching ballistic missiles.
Pyongyang's actions were partly in response to South Korean groups sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets, following the first trilateral talks in four years between China, Japan, and South Korea.
South Korea and Japan agreed to enhance cooperation, including denuclearization efforts, despite North Korea critiquing these measures as potential causes for conflict.

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What Happened When

May 27, 2024：: Leaders from China, Japan and South Korea met in Seoul for the first trilateral talks among the Asian neighbors in over four years.

May 27, 2024：: North Korea attempted to launch its second spy satellite, but the rocket exploded shortly after liftoff.

May 28, 2024：: Hundreds of balloons carrying trash from North Korea began arriving in South Korea, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and media reports.

May 29, 2024：: North Korea issued a statement via the Korean Central News Agency, stating that the balloon send-off was a response to South Korean conservative groups floating balloons full of anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border.

May 30, 2024：: North Korea fired a barrage of projectiles, thought to be KN-25 short-range ballistic missiles, which flew about 350 kilometers before landing in the Sea of Japan.

May 30, 2024：: South Korea detected attempts by North Korea to jam GPS signals near the western maritime border between the two countries, although no disruptions to South Korea's military operations were reported.

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