Rice-Filled Bottles Found on Yeongjongdo Tidal Flat Raise Suspicions

Police in Yeongjongdo, Incheon launched an investigation after plastic bottles filled with rice were discovered on a tidal flat beneath Muui Bridge. The discovery was made by anglers at around 11:00 p.m. on September 27, who jointly reported the incident with the police and Korea Coast Guard.

The coast guard officers dispatched to the scene retrieved about ten 1.5-liter PET bottles filled with rice from the tidal flat. Some of the bottles also contained 1 U.S. dollar bills, which has raised suspicions that the bottles may have been intended for release in North Korea.

This is not an isolated incident, as there have been previous attempts to scatter similar bottles northward in Incheon's border regions near North Korea. In June last year, six American nationals were caught while attempting to float over 1,300 PET bottles containing rice, 1 dollar bills, and Bibles northward for missionary purposes.

The police are currently investigating the exact location where the PET bottles were scattered and plan to keep all possibilities open.