A woman in her 60s was struck by debris from a North Korean balloon in Seoul, amidst a series of similar incidents involving trash-laden balloons sent by the North.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on September 25, the incident occurred on the morning of September 23 in Bongcheon-dong, Gwanak District. The victim was sweeping her yard when she was hit on the head by remnants of a trash-filled balloon, sustaining minor injuries.
The victim fell and bruised her knee after being startled by the impact. Nearly ten bags filled with debris, including dirt-covered plastic bottles, were found near her home, one of which landed in her yard.
She was later diagnosed with sprains in her neck, back, pelvis, and knee, and was prescribed two weeks of medical treatment. The victim has submitted the medical report to the Seoul city government.
Although current laws do not provide grounds for compensation for damages caused by North Korean trash balloons, local governments have been using emergency funds to cover such costs. The city plans to support the victim’s medical expenses based on her submitted report.
This is not the first such incident. In July, a cyclist in Gangseo District was also injured after being struck by a similar balloon, suffering bruises to their right arm.
According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, North Korea has launched a total of 5,500 trash-filled balloons in 22 separate incidents from May through the 23rd of this month.
BY YOUNGNAM KIM [kim.youngnam@koreadaily.com]
