South Korea’s Gyeonggi Province has designated 11 areas across three cities and counties as “danger zones,” prohibiting the launch of balloons carrying anti-North Korea leaflets, its vice governor said on Tuesday. 

The move seeks to mitigate the probability of North Korea targeting those designated areas with artillery units in response to such balloon launches, according to a press release from the ROK’s most populated province on Wednesday.

“North Korea has ordered eight artillery brigades to fully prepare for combat. This raises the possibility of artillery fire in response to leaflet launches,” the vice governor said, adding that “Gyeonggi Province views