SEOUL, July 24 (Bernama-Yonhap) -- A balloon carrying trash sent by North Korea landed on South Korea’s presidential office compound on Wednesday, but nothing dangerous was found, Yonhap news agency quoted the Presidential Security Service (PSS).
The PSS reported that it discovered the fallen trash on the grounds of the presidential compound while monitoring the latest batch of balloons flown by the North earlier in the day.
Since May, North Korea has sent thousands of trash-filled balloons towards South Korea in protest against anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets sent by activists across the border.
"An investigation by the chemical, biological, and radiological response team showed the objects did not present a danger or contamination, so they were retrieved. We are continuing to monitor in cooperation with the Joint Chiefs of Staff," the PSS said.
The presidential office stated that the exact location of the balloon was tracked in real-time through an observation device before it landed.
"It is difficult to handle midair because we do not know what the balloons may contain," a presidential official said. "There will be no change in our policy of collecting them after they have fallen."
The military has refrained from shooting down the balloons out of concern that their contents could spread further and cause more damage.
-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU
