Why South Korea has switched off speakers playing K-Pop towards North Korea
South Korea has halted its loudspeaker broadcasts of anti- North Korea propaganda along the inter-Korean border in an effort to reduce tensions.
The broadcasts had been restarted in June of the previous year in response to North Korea's psychological warfare campaign involving trash-filled balloons sent into South Korea.
South Korea's Defense Ministry stated the decision aims to "restore trust in inter-Korean relations and promote peace on the Korean Peninsula."
The move follows heightened tensions, including North Korea launching approximately 7,000 balloons carrying waste into South Korea, which they claimed was retaliation for anti-North Korean leaflets and USB sticks containing South Korean songs and dramas.
South Korea's new liberal president, Lee Jae-myung, has vowed to improve relations with Pyongyang and promised to halt the loudspeaker broadcasts, but prospects for early dialogue remain dim as North Korea prioritizes relations with Russia.
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