North Korea's Trash Balloons Are Putting Planes in Danger, South Korean Aviation Official Warns
- Balloons disrupted operations at South Korea airport for hours
- Hard to detect by airport radar and a threat to jet engines
A balloon presumably sent by North Korea, in Incheon, South Korea,
Photographer: Im Sun-suk/Yonhap/Getty Images
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North Korea’s trash balloons can pose a threat to flights, an aviation official cautioned, a day after South Korea’s busiest airport temporarily halted operations when at least one balloon landed on the tarmac.
North Korea flew another 180 balloons carrying trash into South Korea from Wednesday night. This added to more than 2,000 balloons floated toward its neighbor since May that have caused a nuisance for Seoul and surrounding areas. The balloons are part of a show of anger at South Korea for measures at the border Pyongyang has complained are a threat to its sovereignty.