Anchor: President Yoon Suk Yeol has slammed North Korea’s launches of trash-carrying balloons and its new comprehensive strategic partnership treaty with Russia, calling it an “anachronistic act” that go against the progress in history. Yoon issued the criticism Tuesday at an event marking the 74th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War.
Kim Bum-soo has more. 

Report: President Yoon Suk Yeol denounced North Korea for sending trash balloons to South Korea and its military collaboration with Russia. 

Speaking at an event held in the southeastern city of Daegu marking the 74th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War, Yoon addressed the North's backward behavior.

[Sound bite: President Yoon Suk Yeol(Korean-English)]
“Recently, North Korea decided not to refrain from despicable and irrational provocations, such as launching trash balloons. Last week, it signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty with Russia, which started a war against Ukraine, and agreed to strengthen military and economic cooperation in direct violation with the UN Security Council resolutions. It is an anachronistic act that reverses the progress of history.” 

North Korea floated around 350 trash-carrying balloons over the border to the South late Monday. It has carried out multiple rounds of these balloon attacks since late May in retaliation for anti-Pyongyang leaflet campaigns by defector groups based in the South.

[Sound bite: President Yoon Suk Yeol (Korean-English)]
"While we walk on the path of freedom and prosperity, North Korea remains to be the last frozen land in the world, insisting on going backward. While ignoring the miserable lives of its people and brutally oppressing their human rights, North Korea is focusing only on the security of the regime." 

[Sound bite: Gov't commemoration of 74th anniv. of Korean War (Jun. 25 / Daegu)] 

Blaming the North for seeking to advance its nuclear and missile capabilities, President Yoon said his military will respond overwhelmingly and decisively to North Korean provocations to safeguard the South Korean people and their freedom. 

Some one-thousand-300 Korean War veterans, military commanders and dignitaries from countries that fought alongside South Korea during the war attended the event.   

Yoon said the government will repay the sacrifices of the Korean War veterans with the highest honor and foster a tradition of respecting those who have served in uniform and their families.
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.