Images show smoke rising from a building on the border of North and South Korea used for peace talks. This comes right after the leader Kim Jong Un’s sister proposed cutting all direct lines with the leaders in the south.

Blowing up the joint liaison office used for peace talks between the North and the South is a sign that things are quickly deteriorating.

North Korea has issued a number of angry threats in the last couple of days in response to a group of defectors who have been sending balloons with messages north of the DMZ.

Sending messages with helium filled balloons is a method that has been used by Christians for many years. BTJ has witnessed these balloon launches in the past. Basically, on an evening when the wind is just right, Christians drive as close as they can get to the border of North Korea with balloons, helium tanks, and Christian tracks. The Christian tracks and messages of encouragement are attached to the balloons and then the balloons are launched into the night air.

Below is an example of one kind of balloon recently used by groups this year.

The wind carries the balloons until the helium runs low, at which time they fall to the ground. Any North Korean passing by can pick up the balloon and read the messages.

Many people in North Korea have read the Gospel for the first time because of these operations and become Christians.

These balloon operations might seem harmless, but they make the North Korean government livid.

Early reports today from South Korea are blaming these balloon operations for the latest angry outbursts from North Korea.

Others believe it is because there has been a breakdown in the peace talks, leaving North Korea still strapped with crippling sanctions.

On Saturday, KCNA spoke directly about the balloon operations. “The recent foolish act of daring hurt the dignity of our supreme leadership,” the statement read. “The world will clearly see what severe punishment our people will meet out to the South Korean authorities and how they wipe the human scum off the earth.”

Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un’s sister demanded the South Korean government punish the defectors sending messages across the border by balloons, whom she called “betrayers,” “human scum” and “riff-raff who dared hurt the absolute prestige of our Supreme Leader representing our country and its great dignity.”

Back to Jerusalem continues to send Bibles and resources to Christians in North Korea. You can help us in this effort by clicking here.