In a bid to reduce cross-border tensions, South Korea’s military has started removing loudspeakers previously used to broadcast anti-North Korean propaganda along the border with North Korea.
This action follows the new liberal government’s decision in June to suspend the broadcasts, which had long been a source of irritation for Pyongyang. According to South Korea’s Defense Ministry, the dismantling of these speakers is a “practical measure” intended to ease hostilities without compromising military readiness.
Unilateral Loudspeaker Removal Marks End to Cold War-Era Psychological Broadcasts Against North
The removal process is being conducted unilaterally, with no prior discussion or coordination with North Korean authorities. Defense Ministry spokesperson Lee Kyung-ho declined to provide details about where the speakers will be stored or how quickly they could be redeployed if needed.
North Korea has not issued a response to the South’s latest move, although the regime has historically reacted strongly to such propaganda tactics aimed at undermining its leadership.
The use of the loudspeakers dates back to Cold War-style psychological operations. South Korea’s former conservative administration resumed loudspeaker broadcasts in 2024 as retaliation for North Korea’s provocation of sending trash-laden balloons across the border.
The content of the broadcasts, including anti-regime messages and South Korean pop music, was tailored to provoke the North, where the government tightly controls outside cultural influences and has recently intensified efforts to suppress South Korean media.
Diplomatic Hopes Dim as North Korea Rejects Outreach and Deepens Ties with Russia
These psychological warfare efforts added to already heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, exacerbated by North Korea’s growing nuclear weapons program and increased joint military drills between South Korea and the United States.
Additionally, trilateral security cooperation involving Japan has fueled Pyongyang’s suspicions. The removal of the loudspeakers appears to be part of a broader effort by Seoul’s new leadership to de-escalate hostilities and return to dialogue.
Despite these overtures, North Korea remains unresponsive. Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, dismissed the South’s conciliatory moves, accusing the new administration of maintaining the same U.S.-aligned hostility as its conservative predecessor.
Her remarks, coupled with North Korea’s growing strategic alignment with Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, suggest Pyongyang is in no hurry to re-engage in talks with Seoul or Washington.
