[News Today] “NK TRASH BALLOONS COLLECT DATA”

[LEAD]
We've been continously reporting about North Korea's launch of trash balloons to the south over the past 4 months. This has caused intense damage. Recently, these balloons have fallen inside national key facilities. What is North Korea's true intention? KBS takes a deep look.

[REPORT]
North Korea sent over 5500 trash balloons over four months.

KBS has analyzed some 1500 cases of trash balloon sightings reported between May and mid-August.

Most of the balloons fell in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do Province.

But some were found in Gangwon, Chungcheongbuk-do and even in Jeollanam-do and Gyeongsangbuk-do provinces.

This means the entire South Korean territory is within their range.

Hong Min / Korea Inst. for Nat'l Unification
It's not something that occurs in the military demarcation line. It poses a threat to people's daily lives.

On September 20, a trash balloon fell near the government complex in Seoul.

It's the second time since May.

In July, a trash balloon was found near the presidential office in Yongsan.

Recently they fell onto the runway of Incheon International Airport and in the KBS parking lot.

All these facilities are of high importance.

Experts believe the North has obtained a significant amount of information about places where its trash balloons have landed so far.

Shin Seung-ki / Korea Inst. for Defense Analysis
They might have calculated prospective landing spots based on air flow, wind speed and air density in South Korea.

This means Pyongyang could use balloon provocations for other malicious purposes as well.

Hong Min / Korea Inst. for Nat'l Unification
North Korea could fill balloons with biochemical weapons or pathogens.

Shin Seung-ki / Korea Inst. for Defense Analysis
They've obtained information on ways to send balloons with higher precision.
Next time they will likely land exactly where they are intended to land.

The only response South Korea can take at this point is just collecting the fallen trash balloons.

New measures are needed to address the issue.