SEOUL — North Korea has resumed its contentious balloon launches toward South Korea, with recent activities on Saturday possibly transporting trash, according to the South's military. This action comes amidst escalating tensions and follows a series of similar incidents earlier in the week.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) alerted the public at 10:26 p.m. about the balloons, which could potentially reach Gyeonggi Province, surrounding Seoul. The military issued warnings about falling objects and urged citizens to report any sightings of the balloons to the authorities. This latest incident marks a continuation of provocations that included the launch of approximately 20 balloons on Wednesday, though they did not cross the Military Demarcation Line.

North Korea's strategy of balloon launches has been a form of retaliation against anti-Pyongyang leaflets distributed by North Korean defectors and activists in South Korea. These leaflets have been floated across the border since late May, prompting the North to respond with thousands of trash-carrying balloons. Additionally, this week witnessed North Korea escalating its provocations with the launch of multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Thursday, the first such missile activity since July 1.