Kim Yong-hyun said, "Bubble balloons are crossing the line...Ready to respond"

Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun said North Korea's provocation of filth balloons to the South is crossing the "limit line" set by the South Korean government and is preparing countermeasures.

Kim said this at a joint press conference with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin after the South Korea-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting held at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. on the 30th local time.

"I also agreed with Minister Austin on North Korea's spraying of filth balloons, but this is clearly a violation of the armistice agreement," Minister Kim said. "It is a provocative act that threatens the safety of our people beyond violating the armistice agreement."

He then said he has been doing so because he thought the best way to secure the safety of our people is to check and collect harmful substances after monitoring and tracking filth balloons.

However, he explained, "We are almost over the line now," and "We are preparing to respond in various ways."