Balloons, balloons, balloons! Thousands of these trash balloons over the border to the South already. What are they hoping to achieve? A campaign of psychological warfare has begun on the Korean Peninsula. The demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea is now

the front line of a dangerous and bizarre tit-for-tat. Thousands of balloons have been launched into the skies above the DMZ, while dozens of giant loudspeakers have been set up all along the border. North Korea has severed ties with the South in response to what it

calls US-backed war games and has recently blown up roads and railways which link the two countries. Here's an inside look at how this fragile border could soon deliver a foreign policy headache for the incoming Trump Administration. We are not far away from the heavily militarized border

separating North and South Korea, and right now we're on a patrol with a special force set up to find activists looking to send balloons, leaflets, and drones that way into North Korea. South Korea is trying to manage tension at the border with these daily patrols. Anyone

caught by this force faces thousands of dollars in fines or jail time for up to a year. The stakes are high because North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un, considers these launches to be highly provocative. There is serious concern he will escalate things with a violent

response. Chongyong is one of the activists drawing fury from the Kim regime. He's planning to launch 100,000 leaflets into the North carrying messages personally attacking Kim Jong-un and his regime. Images like these that vilify Kim

are treated by Pyongyang as a direct attack on the nation itself. So you plan to fly this drone from South Korea into North Korea. Their aim is to pierce the Kim regime's ironclad control over information, and North Koreans found with the leaflets would likely face severe

punishment. So are you worried that, as a result of these leaflets being sent into North Korea, something serious could happen? North Korea has warned that the activists will pay a high price if the launches continue. North Korea accused Seoul of supporting the launches and responded

by sending back thousands of balloons of a different kind. In May, hundreds of giant white balloons carrying trash and excrement began to drift over from North Korea. Some have traveled as far as the presidential office in Seoul and beyond. The fear in South Korea is that the

North could one day use the balloons to send biological or chemical weapons. While Pyongyang wants to avoid war in the near term, the array of balloons instills fear and strains South Korea's military. South Korea hit back at the launches from the North by firing up

giant loudspeakers to blast K-pop across the border. The music is seen as a sore spot for Kim Jong-un, who wants to limit exposure to the outside world inside his impoverished country. One morning, villages along the DMZ woke to discover

Pyongyang had switched on giant loudspeakers of its own. A constant barrage of unbearable noises now floods the border towns day and night. [Music] [Music] What do you make of the activists who want to send balloons to North Korea? North Korea has previously

threaten artillery strikes against the South Korean loudspeakers, and the concern is that an escalating cycle of provocation may one day lead Kim to use his forces along the border. North Korea is estimated to have thousands of artillery pieces positioned on its side of the DMZ. Analysts have

modeled different scenarios in which North Korea fires artillery into South Korea. In one scenario, the North uses a dozen artillery pieces to launch a surprise attack on a large electronics factory. The strike could cause thousands of casualties and possibly affect global economies. In the most extreme

scenario, North Korea launches a massive artillery barrage along the border, striking major cities, airports, and US military bases near the border. The think tank concluded this would lead to over 200,000 casualties and that there is little the US could do to stop it once

it starts. North Korea has begun stationing more troops along the border while dismissing the need for nuclear talks with the incoming Trump administration.  My friend Donald Trump has touted his close relationship with Kim and made history as the first sitting US president to cross into North Korea.

That visit marked a high point in diplomacy with the Kim regime, but Trump returns to office at a time when relations are sinking and tensions along this border are soaring. He may soon be forced to confront a cold conflict that is heating up once more.

Balloons, Loudspeakers and Psyops: Inside a Korean DMZ Border Town | WSJ

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Balloon Warfare and Psychological Operations on the Korean Peninsula

Thousands of balloons carrying trash and leaflets are launched across the border, initiating a psychological warfare campaign.

North Korea severs ties with South Korea in response to perceived US-backed war games and destroys infrastructure linking the two countries.

The DMZ is described as a fragile border with the potential for foreign policy challenges for the incoming Trump administration.

South Korean patrols monitor activists sending balloons, leaflets, and drones into North Korea, with severe penalties for those caught.

North Korea considers these actions highly provocative and there's concern about escalation.

Activist Actions and North Korean Response

An activist, Chongyong, plans to launch 100,000 leaflets attacking Kim Jong-un and his regime, considered a direct attack by Pyongyang.

The aim is to bypass North Korea's information control, but those found with leaflets face severe punishment.

North Korea warns of consequences and retaliates by sending thousands of balloons filled with trash and excrement.

South Korea fears the use of biological or chemical weapons via balloons.

South Korea responds by broadcasting K-pop music across the border using loudspeakers.

Escalation and Potential for Military Conflict

North Korea's response includes activating its own loudspeakers, creating a constant barrage of noise.

North Korea's artillery threat against South Korean loudspeakers raises concerns about escalation.

Analysts model scenarios of North Korean artillery attacks, including a strike on an electronics factory and a massive border barrage, resulting in significant casualties.

North Korea stations more troops and dismisses nuclear talks with the incoming Trump administration.

Trump's return to office coincides with worsening relations and increased tensions on the border.