Care is in the air

Activists in South Korea released 5 huge gas-filled balloons filled with 1,000 pairs of warm socks over the North Korean border as air-borne care packages.

The socks can be worn during the harsh winter or sold for food. Reportedly, warm socks are so rare in the impoverished country that a single pair can be traded for 10 kg of corn – enough to sustain someone for a month.

But the action went over like a lead balloon for Pyongyang, who even threatened to open fire on the launch sites. Tensions have been high between the 2 countries, which has resulted in the South cutting off its annual food shipments to the North.

While the powers that be continue to air out their grievances, hopefully these care packs will lift the spirits of those most in need.