Human rights groups representing North Korean defectors have sent balloons filled with rice, ramen, currency, and flash drives containing K-pop and South Korean dramas to North Korea.
On Friday, Free North Korea Radio, a defector group, stated that four organizations, including the Korean Unification Solidarity and the Committee for the Democratization of North Korea, released these balloons from Ganghwa Island between 6 and 7 p.m. on Thursday.
The balloons carried one ton of rice, 800 packages of ramen, 400 $1 bills, 200 Bibles, and 500 USB drives filled with videos showing the lives of North Korean defectors in South Korea, K-pop music, and South Korean dramas.
This was the first time in four months that these groups had sent balloons to North Korea since their last launch in June.
The groups explained that this action was intended to raise awareness of North Korea’s inhumane practices and to provide humanitarian aid to the North Korean people who are suffering from severe food shortages.
Meanwhile, North Korea launched balloons filled with trash toward South Korea early that morning. This marks the 24th time North Korea has done so this year.