South Korea's military halts loudspeaker broadcasts against North Korea
KYODO NEWS - 2 hours ago - 18:50 | World, All
South Korea's military said Wednesday it has halted propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts along the border with North Korea, in what is seen as part of President Lee Jae Myung's new administration's efforts to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
The broadcasts were resumed in June last year by Lee's predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, who took a hardline stance against North Korea. His government restarted them in response to the North's launch of waste-carrying balloons into the South, ending a six-year hiatus since 2018, when inter-Korean relations had begun to thaw.
The South Korean military said the halt is aimed at helping "restore trust in inter-Korean relations and achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula."
Pyongyang floated thousands of trash-carrying balloons across the border between May and November last year in tit-for-tat retaliation for South Korean activists sending anti-North Korea propaganda leaflets across the border.
Earlier this week, South Korea's Unification Ministry urged the activists to halt the leaflet distribution, saying it heightens tensions on the Korean Peninsula and endangers the lives and safety of residents in border areas. The ministry had previously permitted the activity.
Related coverage:
New South Korean President Lee emphasizes pragmatism after sworn in
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