North Korean Balloons Cause Stir in South Korea A recent incident near South Korea's Parliament building in Seoul has drawn attention to a new form of provocation from North Korea. A balloon carrying trash and waste paper floated across the inter-Korean border and landed near the National Assembly complex. This event is part of a series of similar incidents involving balloons carrying propaganda materials and trash from North Korea. The South Korean military has stated that the balloons do not pose a direct threat, but they have become a nuisance, landing in public areas and even inside the grounds of the presidential office in Seoul. Residents have received numerous safety alerts warning them not to touch the balloons and to report their locations to the authorities. In response, South Korea has employed tactics such as blaring anti-North Korean propaganda and K-pop music near the Demilitarized Zone. Experts believe that these balloons are low-intensity provocations from the North and do not pose a significant security risk. While living next to a nuclear-armed adversary is a reality for many South Koreans, the recent surge in balloon incidents has become a new normal, prompting increased vigilance and government warnings.