UN Command: North Korea's trash balloon provocation violates the armistice agreement; investigation underway

Regarding North Korea's "garbage balloon provocation" that has spread across the entire Republic of Korea, the UN Command announced on the 29th that "it constitutes a violation of the armistice agreement" and that "an official investigation into this matter is underway."

On the afternoon of this day, the United Nations Command announced via Facebook that "the balloons launched by North Korea are believed to be carrying feces and other waste," and stated, "The United Nations Command is conducting an official investigation into this matter." The United Nations Command also announced that the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission will observe the investigation for third-party oversight.

Maya Nanez, spokesperson for UNSA, stated, "North Korea has repeatedly expressed its desire to be treated as a responsible member of the international community, but sending balloons filled with feces and other pollutants into neighboring countries' airspace and affecting residents is an irresponsible act." She added, "We condemn North Korea's violation of international law that hampers efforts to maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula."

The stance of the UN Command was released just a few hours after Kim Yo-jong claimed that "the feces balloon is a gift of sincerity" and argued that "whether the balloon flies in a certain direction determines freedom of expression and international law. It is the height of shamelessness." There is an interpretation that the UN Command also clarified that the recent dispersal of feces balloons towards South Korea is a violation of international law, contrary to Kim Yo-jong's claims.

Earlier, North Korean forces launched approximately 260 anti-South balloons from the night of the 28th to the 29th. The military described it as "the largest scale ever in a single day." In the past, North Korea dispersed over 1,000 anti-South balloons in a single year in 2016 and 2017, but dispersing hundreds of balloons in one day is unusual.