Daily Times

Trash-carrying balloons sent by North Korea hit the South Korean presidential compound Wednesday, security officials told AFP, prompting Seoul to mobilise chemical response teams in the escalating tit-for-tat propaganda war.

It is the first time the South Korean leader’s office in downtown Seoul, which is protected by scores of soldiers and a no-fly zone, has been directly hit by any of the thousands of trash-carrying balloons launched by Pyongyang since May. “The chemical, biological and radiological (warfare) response team has safely collected the trash balloons,” the presidential security service told AFP. “After investigation, results have confirmed that there were no danger or contamination of the object,” it said. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff had earlier confirmed the North was once again sending the trash-carrying balloons, while Seoul city authorities also issued an alert Wednesday morning. “If you find any fallen balloons do not touch them, and report them to the nearest military unit or police station,” it said. According to the Yonhap news agency, the presidential office had been monitoring the balloon in real time, and was aware of exactly where it would land.