July 25, 2024
North Korea dumped another wave of trash-filled balloons on the grounds of the South Korean presidential compound in Seoul and a US military base nearby on Wednesday.
The landing was witnessed by the office of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. After measuring the landing location, they took the required actions after it fell.
“Flight path in real-time and accurately measured the landing location, then safely took action after it fell on the compound's grounds,” the office of the president said.
Additionally, to avoid any damage, as they were unaware of what the balloon was carrying, the authorities didn’t shoot or launch any attacks on the balloon heading to the presidential compound.
As per CBS News, the balloons only carried trash, such as scrap paper and snack wrappers, including some that showed manufacturing addresses of the North Korean capital, Pyongyang.
Following the investigation, a chemical, biological, and radiological response team said that the balloon was not contaminated. As a result, the office did not announce any changes to the security levels.
"The object was not dangerous or contaminated, so we collected it and will continue to monitor it," officials said.
Moreover, a spokesperson for US Forces Korea told CBS News the command had no comment to offer on the matter.
This was the case because the Yongsan base was previously the headquarters of the unified US forces in Korea, however, the American troops have moved to Camp Humphrey’s base.