<기사>Presidential Office Immediately Takes "Unbearable Measures" Against North Korea's Filth Balloon Provocations (Comprehensive)

NSC Standing Committee "Thorough Preparedness Posture"

Jang Ho-jin, Director of the National Security Office, is briefing on the expanded meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Security Council (NSC) held on the 2nd at the Presidential Office building in Yongsan, Seoul.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Jang Hojin, Director of the National Security Office, stated on the 2nd regarding North Korea's successive provocations involving the release of filth balloons toward South Korea and GPS jamming provocations, "North Korea will face measures that it cannot endure," adding, "We will not tolerate any further provocations."

After presiding over an emergency Standing Committee meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) in the afternoon, Director Jang held a briefing and said, "North Korea's release of filth balloons and GPS jamming acts are irrational and unreasonable provocations unimaginable for a normal country."

During the meeting, response measures to North Korea's complex provocations, including large-scale filth balloon releases, GPS jamming, and short-range missile launches, were discussed.

Regarding North Korea's filth balloon releases toward the South, Director Jang evaluated, "The North Korean regime intends to cause real and present threats to our people through lowly provocations, thereby creating anxiety among the public and chaos in our society." He continued, "The meeting participants decided to initiate measures that North Korea cannot endure, as announced in the government’s position on the 31st of last month," emphasizing, "We will maintain a firm and flawless readiness posture."

He also mentioned, "The government will make every effort to ensure the safety of our citizens so that they can engage in their livelihoods with peace of mind."

Attendees at the meeting included Director Jang, Presidential Chief of Staff Jeong Jin-seok, Minister of Unification Kim Young-ho, Director of the National Intelligence Service Cho Tae-yong, Deputy Minister of National Defense Kim Sun-ho, Second Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang In-sun, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Kim Myung-soo, NSC Secretary-General Kim Tae-hyo, Second Deputy Director of the National Security Office In Sung-hwan, Third Deputy Director Wang Yoon-jong, and Senior Secretary for Public Relations Lee Do-woon.

"Will Not Rule Out Resuming Loudspeaker Broadcasts to North Korea"

A senior official from the Presidential Office told reporters in the afternoon that regarding the meaning of "measures that North Korea cannot endure," "Resuming loudspeaker broadcasts to North Korea will not be ruled out," adding, "We will naturally take the necessary procedures to do so." Accordingly, the government is expected to soon initiate procedures to suspend the effectiveness of the September 19 military agreement required for resuming loudspeaker broadcasts to North Korea.

Regarding North Korea's intent behind the provocations, the official said, "It may be a response to compensate for the reconnaissance satellite failure and a backlash against the Korea-Japan-China meeting," adding, "I believe there is an intention to mislead that the responsibility for the current situation on the Korean Peninsula lies not with North Korea but with the South Korean government, thereby unsettling our people to try to change the North Korea policy."

Regarding the timing of initiating the "measures that North Korea cannot endure," the official emphasized, "We will act immediately without hesitation," adding, "There is no need to delay."

On the plan to shoot down North Korea's filth balloons in the frontline area, the official explained, "There are almost no areas without residential houses near the border. If the balloons are detonated in the air, the filth could scatter and expand the affected area, making cleanup more complicated," adding, "After various considerations, it was judged safer to collect them after they fall."