South Korea has been forced to repeatedly shut down runways at the two main airports for the capital Seoul since June due to disruption from balloons carrying trash launched by North Korea, a South Korean lawmaker said on Wednesday,

South Korea has had to repeatedly shut down runways at Seoul's main airports due to North Korean balloons carrying trash. Since June, 20 days of disruptions total 413 minutes. North Korea launched 5,500+ balloons in response to South Korean activists' leaflets.

South Korea warned of possible military actions if North Korea continues to fly more trash balloons across the border, a rare direct threat of retaliation since Pyongyang started sending them in May.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Seoul may respond militarily to any casualties caused by North Korea's launching of so-called "trash balloons."

South Korea said Monday it would take "decisive military action" if anyone is killed by the wave of trash-carrying balloons being launched across the border by North Korea.

Mounds of wastepaper and filth will soon be scattered over the border areas and the interior of the ROK [South Korea] and it will directly experience how much effort is required to remove them.’