S.Korea halts broadcasts along border with rival North

The Advertiser

2 days ago

South Korea's military has shut down loudspeakers broadcasting anti-North Korea propaganda along the inter-Korean border, marking the new liberal government's first concrete step towards easing tensions between the war-divided rivals.
The South resumed the daily loudspeaker broadcasts in June 2024 following a years-long pause in retaliation for North Korea flying rubbish-laden balloons towards the South in a psychological warfare campaign.
South Korea's defence ministry said the move, ordered by President Lee Jae-myung, was part of efforts "to restore trust in inter-Korean relations and promote peace on the Korean Peninsula".
Kang Yu-jung, Lee's spokesperson, described the decision as a "proactive step" to reduce military tensions and ease the burden for South Koreans residing in border areas, who have also been affected by North Korea's retaliatory loudspeaker broadcasts.
North Korea, which is extremely sensitive to any outside criticism of its authoritarian leadership and its third-generation ruler, Kim Jong-un, did not immediately comment on the step by Seoul.
South Korea reactivated its frontline loudspeakers to blast propaganda messages and K-pop songs towards the North in 2024 in response to thousands of rubbish balloons that Pyongyang flew towards South Korea to drop substances including wastepaper, cloth scraps, cigarette butts and even manure.
From May to November in 2024, North Korea flew about 7000 balloons towards South Korea in 32 separate occasions, according to the South's military.
The North said its balloon campaign came after South Korean activists sent over balloons filled with anti-North Korean leaflets, as well as USB sticks filled with popular South Korean songs and dramas.
Rubbish carried by at least one North Korean balloon fell on the South Korean presidential compound in July, raising concerns about the vulnerability of key South Korean facilities.
Officials said the balloon contained no dangerous material and no one was hurt.
The South's broadcast playlist was clearly designed to strike a nerve in Pyongyang, where Kim's government has been intensifying a 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 added to tensions fuelled by North Korea's growing nuclear ambitions and South Korean efforts to expand joint military exercises with the United States and strengthen three-way security co-operation with Japan.
Lee, an outspoken liberal who took office last week after winning an early election to replace ousted conservative Yoon Suk-yeol, has vowed to improve relations with Pyongyang, which reacted furiously to Yoon's hardline policies and shunned dialogue.
On Thursday morning, South Korea's military said North Korean broadcasts were not heard in South Korean frontline areas, but it was not clear if the North has formally halted its own broadcasts.
South Korea's military has shut down loudspeakers broadcasting anti-North Korea propaganda along the inter-Korean border, marking the new liberal government's first concrete step towards easing tensions between the war-divided rivals.
The South resumed the daily loudspeaker broadcasts in June 2024 following a years-long pause in retaliation for North Korea flying rubbish-laden balloons towards the South in a psychological warfare campaign.
South Korea's defence ministry said the move, ordered by President Lee Jae-myung, was part of efforts "to restore trust in inter-Korean relations and promote peace on the Korean Peninsula".
Kang Yu-jung, Lee's spokesperson, described the decision as a "proactive step" to reduce military tensions and ease the burden for South Koreans residing in border areas, who have also been affected by North Korea's retaliatory loudspeaker broadcasts.
North Korea, which is extremely sensitive to any outside criticism of its authoritarian leadership and its third-generation ruler, Kim Jong-un, did not immediately comment on the step by Seoul.
South Korea reactivated its frontline loudspeakers to blast propaganda messages and K-pop songs towards the North in 2024 in response to thousands of rubbish balloons that Pyongyang flew towards South Korea to drop substances including wastepaper, cloth scraps, cigarette butts and even manure.
From May to November in 2024, North Korea flew about 7000 balloons towards South Korea in 32 separate occasions, according to the South's military.
The North said its balloon campaign came after South Korean activists sent over balloons filled with anti-North Korean leaflets, as well as USB sticks filled with popular South Korean songs and dramas.
Rubbish carried by at least one North Korean balloon fell on the South Korean presidential compound in July, raising concerns about the vulnerability of key South Korean facilities.
Officials said the balloon contained no dangerous material and no one was hurt.
The South's broadcast playlist was clearly designed to strike a nerve in Pyongyang, where Kim's government has been intensifying a 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 added to tensions fuelled by North Korea's growing nuclear ambitions and South Korean efforts to expand joint military exercises with the United States and strengthen three-way security co-operation with Japan.
Lee, an outspoken liberal who took office last week after winning an early election to replace ousted conservative Yoon Suk-yeol, has vowed to improve relations with Pyongyang, which reacted furiously to Yoon's hardline policies and shunned dialogue.
On Thursday morning, South Korea's military said North Korean broadcasts were not heard in South Korean frontline areas, but it was not clear if the North has formally halted its own broadcasts.
South Korea's military has shut down loudspeakers broadcasting anti-North Korea propaganda along the inter-Korean border, marking the new liberal government's first concrete step towards easing tensions between the war-divided rivals.
The South resumed the daily loudspeaker broadcasts in June 2024 following a years-long pause in retaliation for North Korea flying rubbish-laden balloons towards the South in a psychological warfare campaign.
South Korea's defence ministry said the move, ordered by President Lee Jae-myung, was part of efforts "to restore trust in inter-Korean relations and promote peace on the Korean Peninsula".
Kang Yu-jung, Lee's spokesperson, described the decision as a "proactive step" to reduce military tensions and ease the burden for South Koreans residing in border areas, who have also been affected by North Korea's retaliatory loudspeaker broadcasts.
North Korea, which is extremely sensitive to any outside criticism of its authoritarian leadership and its third-generation ruler, Kim Jong-un, did not immediately comment on the step by Seoul.
South Korea reactivated its frontline loudspeakers to blast propaganda messages and K-pop songs towards the North in 2024 in response to thousands of rubbish balloons that Pyongyang flew towards South Korea to drop substances including wastepaper, cloth scraps, cigarette butts and even manure.
From May to November in 2024, North Korea flew about 7000 balloons towards South Korea in 32 separate occasions, according to the South's military.
The North said its balloon campaign came after South Korean activists sent over balloons filled with anti-North Korean leaflets, as well as USB sticks filled with popular South Korean songs and dramas.
Rubbish carried by at least one North Korean balloon fell on the South Korean presidential compound in July, raising concerns about the vulnerability of key South Korean facilities.
Officials said the balloon contained no dangerous material and no one was hurt.
The South's broadcast playlist was clearly designed to strike a nerve in Pyongyang, where Kim's government has been intensifying a 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 added to tensions fuelled by North Korea's growing nuclear ambitions and South Korean efforts to expand joint military exercises with the United States and strengthen three-way security co-operation with Japan.
Lee, an outspoken liberal who took office last week after winning an early election to replace ousted conservative Yoon Suk-yeol, has vowed to improve relations with Pyongyang, which reacted furiously to Yoon's hardline policies and shunned dialogue.
On Thursday morning, South Korea's military said North Korean broadcasts were not heard in South Korean frontline areas, but it was not clear if the North has formally halted its own broadcasts.
South Korea's military has shut down loudspeakers broadcasting anti-North Korea propaganda along the inter-Korean border, marking the new liberal government's first concrete step towards easing tensions between the war-divided rivals.
The South resumed the daily loudspeaker broadcasts in June 2024 following a years-long pause in retaliation for North Korea flying rubbish-laden balloons towards the South in a psychological warfare campaign.
South Korea's defence ministry said the move, ordered by President Lee Jae-myung, was part of efforts "to restore trust in inter-Korean relations and promote peace on the Korean Peninsula".
Kang Yu-jung, Lee's spokesperson, described the decision as a "proactive step" to reduce military tensions and ease the burden for South Koreans residing in border areas, who have also been affected by North Korea's retaliatory loudspeaker broadcasts.
North Korea, which is extremely sensitive to any outside criticism of its authoritarian leadership and its third-generation ruler, Kim Jong-un, did not immediately comment on the step by Seoul.
South Korea reactivated its frontline loudspeakers to blast propaganda messages and K-pop songs towards the North in 2024 in response to thousands of rubbish balloons that Pyongyang flew towards South Korea to drop substances including wastepaper, cloth scraps, cigarette butts and even manure.
From May to November in 2024, North Korea flew about 7000 balloons towards South Korea in 32 separate occasions, according to the South's military.
The North said its balloon campaign came after South Korean activists sent over balloons filled with anti-North Korean leaflets, as well as USB sticks filled with popular South Korean songs and dramas.
Rubbish carried by at least one North Korean balloon fell on the South Korean presidential compound in July, raising concerns about the vulnerability of key South Korean facilities.
Officials said the balloon contained no dangerous material and no one was hurt.
The South's broadcast playlist was clearly designed to strike a nerve in Pyongyang, where Kim's government has been intensifying a 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 added to tensions fuelled by North Korea's growing nuclear ambitions and South Korean efforts to expand joint military exercises with the United States and strengthen three-way security co-operation with Japan.
Lee, an outspoken liberal who took office last week after winning an early election to replace ousted conservative Yoon Suk-yeol, has vowed to improve relations with Pyongyang, which reacted furiously to Yoon's hardline policies and shunned dialogue.
On Thursday morning, South Korea's military said North Korean broadcasts were not heard in South Korean frontline areas, but it was not clear if the North has formally halted its own broadcasts.