N. Korea launches apparent trash balloons toward S. Korea: JCS

SEOUL, Oct. 4 (Yonhap) -- North Korea launched what appeared to be trash-carrying balloons toward South Korea early Friday morning, the South's military said, just two days after it sent more than 150 such balloons to the South.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff raised the possibility of the balloons floating toward northern Gyeonggi Province and other parts of the Seoul metropolitan area, advising citizens not to touch them and to be careful with potential balloon drops.

The latest launch marked the 24th of its kind since Pyongyang began the balloon campaign in late May.

South Korea's military has vowed to take "stern" military measures should North Korea "cross the line" with its ongoing trash balloon campaign or inflict serious damage to the South Korean people.

In response to the balloon launches, the South's military has been blasting daily anti-North Korean propaganda broadcasts through loudspeakers on the border since July 21. It has refrained from directly shooting down the balloons, citing safety concerns.

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