The South Korean military says North Korea has sent more than 300 trash-carrying balloons into South Korea since Saturday night.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had detected about 330 balloons launched by the North, with some found in the capital Seoul and northern Gyeonggi Province.
About 80 balloons reportedly landed inside South Korea. The country’s military and police collected them.
South Korea says the balloons were carrying trash such as paper, and that no hazardous materials were found. It adds many balloons appear to have fallen into the sea and mountainous areas.
It is the third time since May that Pyongyang has sent trash-carrying balloons into the South. It is an apparent retaliation for anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent via balloon by a group of North Korean defectors in South Korea.
The South Korean presidential office on Sunday morning held a National Security Council meeting to discuss how to respond.
South Korea’s government is considering the resumption of loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts toward the North near the military demarcation line separating the two Koreas.
South Korean defense ministry sources said on Tuesday they are ready to restart loudspeaker broadcasting at any time, depending on the situation.