How to counter N. Korea’s garbage balloon campaign

Since late May, North Korea has been launching balloons filled with fecal matter into South Korea, an act both irrational and inhumane. The South Korean government’s response has escalated from initial calls to cease these activities to partial implementation of loudspeaker broadcasts along the border. As of July 21, with provocations reaching ten instances, these broadcasts now cover all fronts.

North Korea’s strategy, despite damaging its own image, aims to create war anxiety and turn public opinion against South Korean civilian groups that send leaflets northward. This tactic has seen some success, exploiting the extreme political divide in South Korea to spread anti-government sentiment and internal conflicts.

Many citizens, myself included, question the government’s approach. How long will we merely observe these atrocities? Is the loudspeaker broadcast seen as a cure-all? What other measures are being considered? There’s a growing sentiment that unless we respond with equal force, North Korea’s provocations will only escalate, potentially leading to larger online and offline threats designed to destabilize the Yoon administration and exacerbate internal divisions.

The National Intelligence Service reports that North Korea is evolving its tactics, targeting populated areas and key facilities, and even including white powder mimicking dangerous substances in their balloons. They anticipate further provocations, possibly near the Northern Limit Line or attacks on South Korea’s loudspeakers.

South Korea’s security agencies must urgently reassess and implement countermeasures based on these intelligence reports. The cornerstone of security is prevention and rapid response capability. What the North Korean regime, built on deception and extreme control, fears most is the voice of freedom and truth.

Some suggest shooting down these balloons or halting South Korea’s own leaflet distributions, but these aren’t viable long-term solutions. They risk escalation and raise constitutional concerns. Instead, South Korea should target what truly concerns Kim Jong Un: the ideological relaxation among North Koreans, especially the younger generation, as they gain access to outside information.

A more realistic solution

I propose that the government hold a comprehensive strategy meeting and issue a public statement to North Korea. This statement should affirm South Korea’s commitment to freedom of expression while condemning the use of harmful materials in balloon launches. It should warn that if North Korea continues these tactics, South Korea may resume its own leaflet operations, focusing solely on providing factual information to North Korean citizens.

The threat of South Korean military and intelligence agencies preparing for such operations could give Kim Jong Un pause. Leaflets pose a unique threat as they can reach Pyongyang directly. The regime may reconsider its actions if faced with the prospect of South Korean leaflets filling Pyongyang’s skies.

In conclusion, North Korea’s provocations have crossed a line. They aim to force South Korea’s surrender and consolidate their power based on a ‘two-state’ theory. Now is the time to make Kim Jong Un realize that the costs of these actions outweigh any perceived benefits. South Korea must stand firm, drawing inspiration from its ancestors and the resilience of the Ukrainian people in the face of aggression.