SEOUL — South Korea’s Vice Defense Minister, Kim Seon-ho, and the U.S. Secretary of the Army, Christine Wormuth, have jointly urged North Korea to halt its recent spate of trash balloon launches, a move described as provocative and counterproductive. The plea came during discussions on security cooperation held Wednesday in Seoul, according to the South Korean Defense Ministry.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the launches, which have been occurring since late May, are seen as a direct retaliation to anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets distributed by North Korean defectors and activists in the South. The talks also addressed concerns over North Korea’s growing military ties with Russia, highlighted by a recent defense pact between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Both Kim Seon-ho and Wormuth emphasized the importance of continued joint military exercises to enhance the operational capabilities of their forces. Additionally, Wormuth’s separate meeting with Gen. Park An-su, the chief of staff of the South Korean Army, focused on deepening logistical and technological cooperation.