Seoul says North Korea has flown more trash balloons towards South Korea

South Koreas military says North Korea is again flying balloons likely carrying trash towards the south adding to a bizarre psychological warfare campaign amid growing tensions between the wardivided rivalsSouth Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Saturday that the winds could carry the balloons to regions north of the South Korean capital Seoul Seoul City Hall and the Gyeonggi provincial government issued text alerts urging its citizens to beware of objects dropping from the sky and report to the military or police if they spot any balloonsThere were no immediate reports of injuries or property damageNorth Korea in recent weeks has flown more than 2000 balloons carrying waste paper cloth scraps and cigarette butts toward the south in what it has described as a retaliation toward South Korean civilian activists flying antiPyongyang propaganda leaflets across the borderPyongyang has long condemned such activities as it is extremely sensitive to any outside criticism of leader Kim Jong Uns authoritarian ruleNorth Korea last flew balloons toward the south on July 24 when trash carried by at least one of them fell on the South Korean presidential compound raising worries about the vulnerability of key South Korean facilities The balloon contained no dangerous material and no one was hurt South Koreas presidential security service saidSouth Korea in reaction to the Norths balloon campaign activated its frontline loudspeakers to blast broadcasts of propaganda messages and Kpop songs Experts say North Korea hates such broadcasts because it fears it could demoralise frontline troops and residents The Koreas titfortat Cold Warstyle campaigns are inflaming tensions with the rivals threatening stronger steps and warning of grave consequences Their relations have worsened in recent years as Kim continues to accelerate the Norths nuclear weapons and missile programme and issue verbal threats of nuclear conflict toward Washington and Seoul In response South Korea the United States and Japan have been expanding their combined military exercises and sharpening their nuclear deterrence strategies built around US strategic assetsExperts say animosity could further rise later this month when South Korea and the United States kick off their annual joint military drills that are being strengthened to deal with the Norths nuclear threatsThe resumption of the balloon campaign comes as North Korea struggles to recover from devastating floods that submerged thousands of homes and huge swaths of farmland in areas near its border with ChinaNorth Korean state media said Saturday that Kim ordered officials to bring some 15400 people displaced by the floods to the capital city Pyongyang to provide them better care and that it would take two or three months to rebuild homes in floodhit areasHe has so far turned down aid offers by traditional allies Russia and China and international aid groups insisting that North Korea is capable of handling the recovery on its own He accused iquestenemyiquest South Korea of a iquestvicious smear campaigniquest to tarnish the image of his government claiming that the Souths media have been exaggerating the damage and casualties caused by the floodsWith AP inputs