[News Today] WARNING AGAINST NK TRASH BALLOONS

[LEAD]
Trash balloon launches...they've been continuing for months now, and the South Korean military is also preparing for phased measures. These include military actions. But for now, the military is stressing political responses first to manage the situation.

[REPORT]
Lee Sung-jun / South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (Sept. 23)
If North Korean trash balloons pose a serious threat to our people's safety or cross a line, our military will take firm action.

Despite repeated warnings, North Korea continues to send trash balloons. This prompted South Korea's military to mention potential military action for the first time late last month.

The South Korean military said it will take military action if the North crosses the red line.

This means launches of balloons carrying viruses, germs or harmful chemicals as well as South Koreans' death caused by those balloons.

The plan is to prepare options in phases. The military will choose the appropriate response according to the situation.

Lee Sung-jun/ South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (Oct. 7)
We will decide whether a line has been crossed and take action accordingly, but it's difficult to share specific details in advance.

However, the South Korean military is reviewing how to deal with the North's current gray-zone provocations.

Some suggest intercepting balloons flying into the South in front-line regions, but the concern is that this could give North Korea a pretext for stronger provocations.

Seoul's military believes it is better to maintain a stance of strategic ambiguity and make political responses than discussing military measures in detail.

It plans to monitor and manage the situation for the time being before determining the levels of responses, as North Korea's state media has not yet reported about the trash balloons publicly.