Presidential Office on North Korea's Filth Balloon: "A Small Complex Threat Test... Responding Calmly"

"Unable to Reveal Cause of Military Reconnaissance Satellite Failure"

Kim Tae-hyo, the First Deputy Director of the National Security Office, is giving a briefing on the Korea-Japan-China Summit, Korea-UAE Summit, and Korea-Africa Summit at the Presidential Office building in Yongsan, Seoul on the 23rd.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Presidential Office stated on the 29th that North Korea is calmly responding to the release of 'anti-South waste balloons' following the launch of a military reconnaissance satellite immediately after the Korea-Japan-China summit.

A Presidential Office official told reporters in the afternoon, "It seems that North Korea is putting waste or miscellaneous items into balloons to see how our citizens react, whether our government is shaken, and how these psychological warfare tactics or small-scale complex threats, aside from direct provocations, affect our country," adding this.

The official said, "We believe that North Korea launched the military reconnaissance satellite immediately after the Korea-Japan-China summit, pushing the limits somewhat, but neither we nor North Korea have yet clearly identified the cause of the failure," and explained, "What is clear is that the continuous and unwavering sanctions regime by the international community, including the UN, against North Korea's illegal nuclear and missile development is proving effective."

He continued, "When UN Security Council sanctions operate at a certain level, North Korea has to upgrade its nuclear and missile programs, procure necessary new parts, and maintain and repair existing infrastructure," adding, "They must continuously procure new resources and parts over a long period, and we believe North Korea is experiencing many difficulties in this regard, so it is necessary to maintain international cooperation without wavering."

Earlier, on the night of the 27th, North Korea launched a military reconnaissance satellite southward over the West Sea from the Dongchang-ri area in North Pyongan Province, but it failed after an aerial explosion. Subsequently, North Korea released 'anti-South waste balloons' toward the south, and the military authorities announced that over 200 were found nationwide on the same day.