▲ This photo, taken on Feb. 27, 2024, shows Matthew Miller, the spokesperson for the State Department, speaking during a press briefing at the department in Washington. (Yonhap)

US-NK balloons

U.S. State Dept. denounces N. Korea's trash-filled balloons as 'disgusting' tactic

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, June 3 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. State Department spokesperson on Monday condemned North Korea's recent sending of trash-filled balloons across the border into South Korea as a "disgusting" tactic, calling for an end to what he called the "childish" move.

The North has sent a large number of balloons carrying trash in a tit-for-tat move against South Korean activists having sent balloons with anti-North Korea propaganda leaflets into the North. On Sunday, it announced a plan to temporarily stop sending balloons while threatening to resume such operations if more leaflets are sent to the North.

"I will just say that it's obviously quite a disgusting tactic, irresponsible, childish, and it should come to an end," Matthew Miller, the spokesperson, said during a press briefing.

"Of course I condemn ... any country that sends trash to its neighbor, floats trash over to balloon to its neighbors."

Last week, Vedant Patel, the department's deputy spokesperson, called the North's sending of the balloons "malign" and "destabilizing."

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