金与正氏、韓国への汚物風船認める「いつもやられていること」

【ソウルＡＦＰ＝時事】北朝鮮の金正恩（キム・ジョンウン）朝鮮労働党総書記の妹、金与正（キム・ヨジョン）朝鮮労働党副部長は２９日、韓国へ向けてごみや汚物が入った風船を大量に飛ばしたことを認めた。与正氏は非難する韓国政府を「自由民主主義の亡者」と呼んで嘲笑し、今後も風船を飛ばし続ける可能性を示唆した。（写真は、韓国で確認された北朝鮮からの風船でばらまかれた物体。反韓国プロパガンダのメッセ―ジとみられる）
　韓国メディアは、北朝鮮が２８日から２９日にかけて飛ばした白い風船が割れ、ごみや汚物とみられる中身が散乱した写真を報じた。
　韓国軍合同参謀本部は「明らかな国際法違反」だと批判。「北に対し、その非人道的かつ低級な行動を直ちにやめるよう厳重警告する」と非難した。
　北朝鮮は先週末、韓国からたびたび飛ばされるプロパガンダ風船への報復として、国境地帯に「紙くずと汚物の山」を浴びせると警告していた。
　韓国の活動家団体は、金正恩体制を批判するビラや現金をくくり付けた風船を北朝鮮に向けて飛ばすことがある。
　与正氏は朝鮮中央通信が２９日夜に伝えた談話で「彼らがいつもやっていることをしてみたのだが、なぜ銃弾の雨を浴びたかのように騒ぐのか理解できない」と述べた。
　また、北朝鮮の風船は違法で、韓国側の同様の風船は表現の自由だと主張するのは二重基準だと反発。「『表現の自由』や『国際法』は、風船が飛ぶ方向によって定義されるのか？」と皮肉った。
　さらに、風船に入ったごみは「『表現の自由の保障』を叫ぶ自由民主主義の亡者たちに対する『誠意の贈り物』」とみなすべきだとも述べた。
　北朝鮮は長年、韓国のプロパガンダに激怒している。厳しく管理された社会に外部の情報が流入すれば、金正恩体制を脅かしかねないという懸念があるとみられている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/05/30-16:45）

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's powerful sister on Wednesday mocked the goblins of liberal democracy in Seoul for complaining about balloons of waste apparently including faeces sent over the border, and pledged more could follow.
South Korean media shared photographs of exploded white balloons bearing garbage bags full of trash and what appeared to be excrement, after Seoul's military blasted Pyongyang for the low class stunt.
The North had warned over the weekend that it would shower border areas in mounds of wastepaper and filth to punish Seoul.
Kim Yo Jong -- who is the leader's sister and one of his regime's key spokespeople -- confirmed that a large amount of waste paper and rubbish was scattered in the border and deep areas of South Korea, beginning late Tuesday.
We have tried something they have always been doing, but I cannot understand why they are making a fuss as if they were hit by (a) shower of bullets, she said in a statement carried late Wednesday by the official Korean Central News Agency.
Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said that unidentified objects believed to be North Korean propaganda leaflets have been identified in the Gyeonggi-Gangwon border area and the military is taking action.
Citizens should refrain from outdoor activities, do not come into contact with any unknown objects, and report them to the nearest military base or police, it said in a statement sent to AFP, adding that the North's actions clearly violate international laws.
We sternly warn the North to immediately stop its inhumane and low-class actions, it added.
But Kim Yo Jong blasted what she called a double standard -- that the North's balloons were illegal, but similar items lofted by South Korean activists represented freedom of expression.
Are 'freedom of expression' and 'international law' defined according to the direction in which balloons fly? she said glibly.
- 'Goblins of liberal democracy' -
She said the trash should be seen as 'sincere presents' to the goblins of liberal democracy who are crying for the 'guarantee for freedom of expression'.
We make it clear that we will respond to the ROK clans on case-to-case basis by scattering rubbish dozens of times more than those being scattered to us, in the future, she added, using the acronym for South Korea's official name.
Since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice, the two Koreas remain technically at war and are separated by a heavily fortified border.
South Korean activists sometimes release balloons carrying leaflets decrying Kim Jong Un's regime and money intended for people living north of the border.
Pyongyang has long been infuriated by the propaganda campaigns, possibly due to concerns that an influx of outside information in the tightly controlled society could pose a threat to Kim's rule.
- 'Toilet paper, trash' -
North Korea has sent propaganda balloons across the border before, in 2016 for example, but their approach is a bit different this time, Cheong Seong-chang of the Sejong Institute told AFP.
Bags filled with toilet paper, trash and Chinese batteries were found, he said.
Also from witness statements that there was a 'distinctive smell' from the bag, it is likely they sent faeces, probably animal faeces, as well, he added.
It's a stern message to South Korea that like the South, North Korea can send propaganda as well, and they should immediately stop doing it, Cheong said, adding the border would be strongly controlled after this.
North Korea on Monday attempted to put a second spy satellite into orbit, but the launch ended in a mid-air explosion.
Seoul conducted drills with fighter jets hours ahead of the attempt in protest.
Kim Jong Un said Seoul's response was recklessness, according to a KCNA report Wednesday.
Kim said the present situation requires further bolstering up the war deterrence in every way and steadily developing the DPRK's armed forces into an entity of super-powerful and absolute strength, the report said.