They stink, are contaminated with germs and are now also causing significant disruptions to air traffic: North Korea has been flying hundreds of unsavory garbage balloons into the South for about a month, causing problems for many passengers.
More than 110 flights were disrupted by the balloon launches that began in late March, South Korean lawmaker Jeong Jun-ho said on Wednesday, citing data from the Transport Ministry. More than 10,000 passengers were affected.
Passengers didn’t know what was going on
Accordingly, long-haul flights from the US and Canada were also forced to make alternative landings. Hundreds of passengers on flights from San Francisco, Vancouver and Los Angeles “should have landed at Incheon International Airport, but ended up at Cheongju Airport, further from Seoul, without knowing what was happening,” Jeong explained.
He called on authorities to do more to prevent South Korean activists from sending balloons carrying propaganda material against the Stalinist regime in Pyongyang to the North.
Waste and feces are not harmless
In recent weeks, North Korea has sent more than a thousand balloons filled with trash and feces across the border into South Korea. The shipments included cigarette butts and toilet paper.
Pyongyang says the waste balloons are a response to balloons launched by South Korean activists containing leaflets against North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un and money for the people of the impoverished north.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
