Genuinely curious, why did the south send the balloon in the first place? The article only mentioned that it was led by activists and North Korean defectors.
If that was an oversight from the south, that looks really bad IMHO. Look how we treat balloons sent by China that is immediately shot down. It could very well hide a weapon/surveillance instead of leaflet and hence the raising tension.
I do have a vivid imagination, but when I imagine doing something disgusting voluntarily I can anticipate it. Not so much when I imagine it from hearing or reading a story and in the middle of imagining things.