North Korea seems to have taken up balloon art as their new hobby, but instead of cute animals and birthday wishes, they’re launching an arsenal of trash balloons into South Korean airspace. In a recent, rather unsightly bout of what can only be described as airborne littering, Pyongyang has let loose hundreds of these refuse-filled balloons in a single day. Apparently, the hermit kingdom thinks this is an effective propaganda tactic. Who knew that a mix of cigarette butts and manure could serve as a compelling political message?
For months now, North Korea has played its part in establishing a solid dumpster fire of diplomacy, sending more than 480 trash balloons southward. These colorful contraptions, which might make a great addition to any waste management convention, primarily carry paper and plastic trash. The goal? To counteract South Korean activists who have had the audacity to send anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border. When it comes to political discourse, nothing says “we care” quite like a balloon stuffed with old newspapers and rotting vegetables.
Washington Examiner: North Korean trash balloons halt South Korean flights https://t.co/ON548MLBoM
— Ian Hansen 🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@IanHansenFeed) July 25, 2024
On an even more alarming note, it has been reported that these balloons now come equipped with timed poppers that could ignite fires upon landing. This ingenious blend of cheap thrills and great danger adds a whole new dimension to North Korea’s aerodynamics. In a hilarious twist of fate that only the North Koreans could conjure up, one balloon even managed to catch fire atop a residential building in a suburb near Seoul. Talk about “going up in flames”—only in this case, it’s trash-taking flight.
As if the situation weren’t ridiculous enough, these airborne nuisances have been wreaking havoc at South Korea’s major international airport. Just last Wednesday, takeoffs and landings were suspended for a full two hours at Gimpo Airport because, well, who wouldn’t want their flight delayed by a bunch of trash-filled balloons? Meanwhile, South Korean soldiers, decked out in their finest gear, have been scrambling to collect this floating debris, all while keeping a watchful eye to ensure that no airborne trash lands anywhere near their presidential office.
After all the circus acts and military agreements signed and now unsignable, last month, South Korea temporarily halted a military pact with the North in reaction to this outrageous balloon campaign. With promises of “unbearable” retaliation, one can only imagine how North Korea is bracing for more than just flushed paper and banana peels drifting south. If this is their idea of tactical warfare, the world might as well brace itself for air raids involving dirty diapers and banana peels. One thing is for sure: North Korea has truly outdone itself in the field of obnoxious aerial assaults.