SEOUL, July 19 (UPI)

– In a show of defiance against North Korea, South Korea has initiated loudspeaker broadcasts near its border in response to the North's recent launch of balloons carrying trash. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) confirmed that these broadcasts were conducted over several hours, following a series of stern warnings issued to Pyongyang regarding its balloon distribution activities. The military reported detecting approximately 200 balloons sent from the North, with around 40 landing in northern Gyeonggi Province, primarily carrying paper and posing no safety hazards. The JCS stated that the future military response would be contingent on North Korea's actions. While the specific content of the broadcasts remains undisclosed, previous sessions have featured K-pop music and news reports from South Korea. This latest incident is part of a broader pattern, as North Korea has reportedly sent over 2,000 balloons filled with trash, manure, and discarded clothing in recent weeks. Alarmingly, South Korean officials have identified parasites, including roundworms and threadworms, believed to have originated from human waste, in the payloads of these balloons. Tensions have escalated along the inter-Korean border, prompting Seoul to briefly resume propaganda broadcasts at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) last month. North Korea claims its balloon launches are retaliatory measures against defector groups that have historically sent anti-Pyongyang leaflets and media into the North. Recently, Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, issued threats of "gruesome" consequences if the balloon launches do not cease.