The 25th This Year... Military Ponders Countermeasures Against Trash Balloons

Concerns Over Secondary Accidents from Balloon Crashes if Shot Down by Anti-Aircraft Guns
Risk of Military Conflict Between North and South if Attempted to Shoot Down in Frontline

The military authorities are struggling with how to respond to the trash balloons. North Korea once again released trash balloons ahead of the Supreme People's Assembly on the 7th. This is the 25th time this year.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said that morning, "North Korea is floating objects presumed to be trash balloons toward the South, and considering the wind direction, the balloons may move toward Gyeonggi Province and the Seoul metropolitan area."

For the military to take action, interception is the easiest method. Trash balloons fly at about 3,000 meters altitude at approximately 5 meters per second, requiring the use of 20mm Vulcan or 30mm wheeled anti-aircraft guns. However, if the balloon crashes, it could cause damage to vehicles and buildings. This is why our government and military have established the principle of not attempting to shoot down trash balloons in the air but waiting until they fall to the ground to collect them.

It could also provide North Korea with a pretext for military provocations. It is expected that at the Supreme People's Assembly on this day, North Korea will delete the unification-related provisions from its constitution and introduce territorial regulations such as a "maritime border line." They may also add provisions on territory, territorial waters, and airspace to the constitution. The Joint Chiefs of Staff warned North Korea on the 23rd of last month, stating, "If it is judged that the line has been crossed, decisive military action will be taken." However, they did not specify what constitutes "crossing the line" to maintain strategic ambiguity.

Nevertheless, concerns are being raised. Property damage caused by trash balloons is accumulating, and the possibility of casualties is increasing. The damage and anxiety among our citizens are growing, causing internal conflicts over how to respond to the trash balloons.

A military official urged, "Please be cautious of falling debris from North Korean trash balloons, do not touch fallen balloons, and report them to the military or police."