North Korea has dropped at least 260 balloons carrying rubbish in the South, prompting authorities to warn its residents to stay indoors.
Seoul’s military reported that Pyongyang fired a salvo of short-range ballistic missiles early on Thursday morning, shortly after sending hundreds of trash-filled balloons across the border to retaliate against South Korea.
South Korea’s military also cautioned the public against touching the white balloons and the plastic bags attached to them because they contain “filthy waste and trash”.
The balloons have been found in eight of nine provinces in South Korea and are now being analysed.
North and South Korea have both used balloons in their propaganda campaigns since the Korean War in the 1950s.
South Korea’s military had earlier said it was investigating whether there were any North Korean propaganda leaflets in the balloons.
Late on Tuesday, residents living north of the South’s capital Seoul and in the border region received text messages from their provincial authorities asking them to “refrain from outdoor activities”.