North Korea has begun dismantling some of its loudspeakers along the inter-Korean border, South Korea’s military confirmed on Saturday, following Seoul’s own removal of propaganda speakers in a concerted effort to de-escalate tensions.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff did not disclose the specific sites where the North Koreans were removing the equipment, nor was it immediately clear whether Pyongyang intended to take down all of its loudspeakers.
This development follows recent months of complaints from South Korean border residents, who reported being subjected to irritating sounds, including howling animals and pounding gongs, blasted from North Korean speakers in a tit-for-tat response to Seoul’s propaganda broadcasts.
This latest development follows North Korea’s cessation of its own broadcasts in June, a direct response to Seoul’s new liberal president, Lee Jae Myung, halting South Korean transmissions.
This initial step was seen as the first concrete measure by his government to ease friction between the long-divided rivals. South Korea’s military commenced the removal of its border speakers on Monday, though details regarding their storage or potential rapid redeployment in the event of renewed tensions remain undisclosed.
Pyongyang, known for its extreme sensitivity to any external criticism of its authoritarian leadership and its third-generation ruler, Kim Jong Un, has yet to officially confirm the dismantling of its loudspeakers.
South Korea’s previous conservative government resumed daily loudspeaker broadcasts in June last year, following a yearslong pause, in retaliation for North Korea flying trash-laden balloons toward the South.
The speakers blasted propaganda messages and K-pop songs, a playlist designed to strike a nerve in Pyongyang, where Kim has been pushing an intense campaign to eliminate the influence of South Korean pop culture and language among the population in a bid to strengthen his family’s dynastic rule.
The Cold War-style psychological warfare campaigns further heightened tensions already inflamed by North Korea’s advancing nuclear program and South Korean efforts to expand joint military exercises with the United States and their trilateral security cooperation with Japan.
Lee, who took office in June after winning an early election to replace ousted conservative Yoon Suk Yeol, wants to improve relations with Pyongyang, which reacted furiously to Yoon’s hard-line policies and shunned dialogue.
But Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of the North Korean leader, rebuffed overtures by Lee’s government in late July, saying that Seoul’s “blind trust” in the country’s alliance with the United States makes it no different from its conservative predecessor.
She later issued a separate statement dismissing the Trump administration’s intent to resume diplomacy on North Korea’s denuclearization, suggesting that Pyongyang — now focused on expanding ties with Russia over the war in Ukraine — sees little urgency in resuming talks with Seoul or Washington.
Tensions between the Koreas can possibly rise again later this month, when South Korea and the United States proceed with their annual large-scale combined military exercises, which begin on Aug. 18. North Korea labels the allies’ joint drills as invasion rehearsals and often uses them as a pretext to dial up military demonstrations and weapons tests aimed at advancing its nuclear program.
