North Korea relaunches trash balloons toward South Korea

ANKARA

South Korea on Thursday accused its archrival North Korea of resuming the launch of trash-filled balloons toward it amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The balloons appeared to be heading toward the northern part of Gyeonggi province, which surrounds Seoul, Yonhap News reported, citing the country's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

The JCS advised the public to avoid touching fallen balloons and to report them to the military or police.

In a tit-for-tat move, North Korea has launched more than 2,000 trash-carrying balloons since late May in response to anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent by North Korean defectors and activists in South Korea.

The latest move came days after the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un warned that Seoul would face "gruesome and dear" consequences if it allowed North Korean defectors to continue to send anti-Pyongyang leaflets to the country.