A balloon bearing a banner with portraits of North Korean leaders was launched in Hongcheon. (AFP)
Seoul:
Balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang leaflets were launched at North Korea, an activist group led by defectors said on Tuesday, a move likely to provoke fury north of the border.
In recent weeks, North Korea has published a series of Seoul vitriol sentences on leaflets, which it says insult the dignity of its leadership – a reference to leader Kim Jong Un.
Tensions are increasing on the peninsula, with the North detonating a liaison office and threatening to strengthen its military presence in and around the demilitarized zone.
Analysts say Pyongyang is holding provocations to force concessions from Seoul and Washington, with nuclear talks stalled.
Authorities in the south sought to block the launching of leaflets, but the activist group Fighters for Free North Korea said it launched 20 balloons near the border town of Paju late Monday evening.
In addition to half a million flyers, the group also sent 1,000 USB sticks – which typically feature South Korean drama and music – and 2,000 dollar bills, which encourages people to pick up equipment.
“Anti-North leaflets flew north in the south wind,” said group leader Park Sang-hak, vowing to continue the launches.
Pyongyang threatens to retaliate with its own leaflet launches, the official KCNA news agency reported on Monday that 12 million leaflets had been produced and 3,000 balloons ready to send them south.
The two Koreas regularly traded in propaganda, but agreed to stop at a summit in 2018.
Inter-Korean relations stalled after collapse of Hanoi summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump early last year on what the armed North would be willing to give up in exchange for easing Sanctions.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in initially negotiated a dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington, but the North is now blaming him for not persuading the United States to ease the sanctions.
(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
