Garbage carried by North Korean balloon again lands on the presidential complex in Seoul

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Trash carried by a North Korean balloon crashed into the presidential complex in central Seoul on Thursday, South Korean officials said.

It is the second case since North Korea began launching garbage-carrying balloons towards South Korea since the end of May, in a resumption of the Cold War-style psychological campaign.

South Korea’s presidential security service said trash dropped at the presidential compound on Thursday morning did not contain dangerous items.

It was not immediately known whether President Yoon Suk Yeol was at the compound at the time of the North Korean balloon’s landing.

Experts say North Korea likely lacks sophisticated technology to launch balloons at specific targets.

South Korea’s Dong-A Ilbo newspaper reported Thursday that North Korea’s last balloons contained propaganda leaflets criticizing President Yoon and his wife Kim Keon Hee, along with trash.

Newspapers said the flyers were scattered in areas of Seoul’s Yongsan district, where Yoon’s presidential office is located, and noted that North Korea recently began using GPS technology to more accurately launch balloons at intended locations.

North Korea has previously accused South Korea of ​​infiltrating drones to drop propaganda leaflets on Pyongyang three times this month and threatened to respond with force if it happened again. South Korea refused to confirm whether it sent drones, but warned that North Korea would face the end of its regime if the safety of South Korean citizens was threatened.

In July, trash carried by at least one North Korean balloon landed at the Korean presidential complex, raising concerns about the security of key South Korean installations. South Korean officials said at the time that the trash contained no hazardous materials and no one was injured.