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Asharq Al-Awsat
05-08-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
South Korea Begins Removing Border Propaganda Speakers in Conciliatory Gesture Toward North
South Korea's military said Monday it had begun removing loudspeakers along its border with rival North Korea in a move aimed at reducing tensions. The speakers had previously been used to blast anti-North Korean propaganda across the border, but the South's new liberal government halted the broadcasts in June in a conciliatory gesture as it looks to rebuild trust and revive dialogue with Pyongyang, which has largely cut off cooperation with the South in recent years. South Korea's Defense Ministry said the physical removal of the loudspeakers from the border was another 'practical measure' aimed at easing tensions between the war-divided Koreas and that it does not affect the South's military readiness. Lee Kyung-ho, a spokesperson for the ministry, didn't share specific details on how the removed loudspeakers will be stored or whether they could be quickly redeployed to the border if tensions flare again between the Koreas. There were no discussions between the two militaries ahead of the South's decision to remove the speakers, Lee said during a briefing. North Korea, which is extremely sensitive to any outside criticism of its authoritarian leadership and its third-generation ruler, Kim Jong Un, didn't immediately comment on the South Korean step. The South's previous conservative government resumed the daily loudspeaker broadcasts in June last year following a yearslong pause in retaliation for North Korea flying trash-laden balloons toward the South in a psychological warfare campaign. The speakers blasted propaganda messages and K-pop songs, a playlist 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 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. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, a liberal who took office in June 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 hard-line policies and shunned dialogue. But Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of the North Korean leader, rebuffed overtures by Lee's government last week, saying that Seoul's 'blind trust' in the country's alliance with the US and hostility toward North Korea make it no different from its conservative predecessor. Her comments implied that North Korea — now preoccupied with its expanding cooperation with Russia over the war in Ukraine – feels no urgency to resume diplomacy with Seoul and Washington anytime soon.
CTV News
04-08-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
South Korea begins removing border propaganda speakers in conciliatory gesture toward North
A North Korean military guard post, left, and loudspeaker are seen from Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, June 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File) SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea's military said Monday it had begun removing loudspeakers along its border with rival North Korea in a move aimed at reducing tensions. The speakers had previously been used to blast anti-North Korean propaganda across the border, but the South's new liberal government halted the broadcasts in June in a conciliatory gesture as it looks to rebuild trust and revive dialogue with Pyongyang, which has largely cut off cooperation with the South in recent years. South Korea's Defense Ministry said the physical removal of the loudspeakers from the border was another 'practical measure' aimed at easing tensions between the war-divided Koreas and that it does not affect the South's military readiness. Lee Kyung-ho, a spokesperson for the ministry, didn't share specific details on how the removed loudspeakers will be stored or whether they could be quickly redeployed to the border if tensions flare again between the Koreas. There were no discussions between the two militaries ahead of the South's decision to remove the speakers, Lee said during a briefing. North Korea, which is extremely sensitive to any outside criticism of its authoritarian leadership and its third-generation ruler, Kim Jong Un, didn't immediately comment on the South Korean step. The South's previous conservative government resumed the daily loudspeaker broadcasts in June last year following a yearslong pause in retaliation for North Korea flying trash-laden balloons toward the South in a psychological warfare campaign. The speakers blasted propaganda messages and K-pop songs, a playlist 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 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. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, a liberal who took office in June 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 hard-line policies and shunned dialogue. But Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of the North Korean leader, rebuffed overtures by Lee's government last week, saying that Seoul's 'blind trust' in the country's alliance with the U.S. and hostility toward North Korea make it no different from its conservative predecessor. Her comments implied that North Korea — now preoccupied with its expanding cooperation with Russia over the war in Ukraine – feels no urgency to resume diplomacy with Seoul and Washington anytime soon. Kim Tong-hyung, The Associated Press
CNA
04-08-2025
- Politics
- CNA
South Korea begins removing loudspeakers on border with North
SEOUL: South Korea said on Monday (Aug 4) it has started removing loudspeakers used to blare K-pop and news reports into the North, as a new administration in Seoul tries to ease tensions with its bellicose neighbour. The nations, still technically at war, had already halted propaganda broadcasts along the demilitarised zone, Seoul's military said in June after the election of President Lee Jae-myung. It said in June that Pyongyang had stopped transmitting bizarre, unsettling noises along the border that had become a major nuisance for South Korean locals, a day after the South's loudspeakers fell silent. "Starting today, the military has begun removing the loudspeakers," Lee Kyung-ho, spokesman of the South's defence ministry, told reporters on Monday. "It is a practical measure aimed at helping ease tensions with the North, provided that such actions do not compromise the military's state of readiness." All loudspeakers set up along the border will be dismantled by the end of the week, he added, but did not disclose the exact number that would be removed. President Lee, recently elected after his predecessor was impeached over an abortive martial law declaration, had ordered the military to stop the broadcasts in a bid to "restore trust". Relations between the two Koreas had been at one of their lowest points in years, with Seoul taking a hard line towards Pyongyang, which has drawn ever closer to Moscow in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The previous government started the broadcasts last year in response to a barrage of trash-filled balloons flown southward by Pyongyang. But Lee vowed to improve relations with the North and reduce tensions on the peninsula. Despite his diplomatic overtures, the North has rejected pursuing dialogue with its neighbour. "If the ROK ... expected that it could reverse all the results it had made with a few sentimental words, nothing is more serious miscalculation than it," Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said last week using the South's official name. Lee has said he would seek talks with the North without preconditions, following a deep freeze under his predecessor.
Al Jazeera
04-08-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
South Korea dismantles border loudspeakers to ease tensions with N Korea
South Korean authorities began removing loudspeakers blaring anti-North Korea broadcasts along the country's border, Seoul's Ministry of National Defence has said, as the new government of President Lee Jae-myung seeks to ease tensions with Pyongyang. 'Starting today, the military has begun removing the loudspeakers,' Lee Kyung-ho, spokesman of South Korea's Defence Ministry, told reporters on Monday. Shortly after he took office in June, Lee's administration switched off propaganda broadcasts criticising the North Korean regime as it looks to revive stalled dialogue with its neighbour. But North Korea recently rebuffed the overtures and said it had no interest in talking to South Korea. The countries remain technically at war because the 1950-53 Korean war ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty, and relations have deteriorated in the last few years. 'It is a practical measure aimed at helping ease tensions with the North, provided that such actions do not compromise the military's state of readiness,' the ministry said in a statement on Monday. All loudspeakers set up along the border will be dismantled by the end of the week, he added, but did not disclose the exact number that would be removed. President Lee, recently elected after his predecessor was impeached over an abortive martial law declaration, had ordered the military to stop the broadcasts in a bid to 'restore trust'. Relations between the two Koreas had been at one of their lowest points in years, with Seoul taking a hard line towards Pyongyang, which has drawn ever closer to Moscow in the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The previous government started the broadcasts last year in response to a barrage of trash-filled balloons flown southward by Pyongyang. But Lee promised to improve relations with North Korea and reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Despite his diplomatic overtures, North Korea has rejected pursuing dialogue with its neighbour. 'If the ROK… expected that it could reverse all the results it had made with a few sentimental words, nothing is [a] more serious miscalculation…,' Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said last week, using the acronym for South Korea's official name, Republic of Korea. Lee has said that he would seek talks with North Korea without conditions, following a deep freeze under his predecessor.
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
South Korea begins removing border propaganda speakers in conciliatory gesture toward North
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea's military said Monday it had begun removing loudspeakers along its border with rival North Korea in a move aimed at reducing tensions. The speakers had previously been used to blast anti-North Korean propaganda across the border, but the South's new liberal government halted the broadcasts in June in a conciliatory gesture as it looks to rebuild trust and revive dialogue with Pyongyang, which has largely cut off cooperation with the South in recent years. South Korea's Defense Ministry said the physical removal of the loudspeakers from the border was another 'practical measure' aimed at easing tensions between the war-divided Koreas and that it does not affect the South's military readiness. Lee Kyung-ho, a spokesperson for the ministry, didn't share specific details on how the removed loudspeakers will be stored or whether they could be quickly redeployed to the border if tensions flare again between the Koreas. There were no discussions between the two militaries ahead of the South's decision to remove the speakers, Lee said during a briefing. North Korea, which is extremely sensitive to any outside criticism of its authoritarian leadership and its third-generation ruler, Kim Jong Un, didn't immediately comment on the South Korean step. The South's previous conservative government resumed the daily loudspeaker broadcasts in June last year following a yearslong pause in retaliation for North Korea flying trash-laden balloons toward the South in a psychological warfare campaign. The speakers blasted propaganda messages and K-pop songs, a playlist 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 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. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, a liberal who took office in June 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 hard-line policies and shunned dialogue. But Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of the North Korean leader, rebuffed overtures by Lee's government last week, saying that Seoul's 'blind trust' in the country's alliance with the U.S. and hostility toward North Korea make it no different from its conservative predecessor. Her comments implied that North Korea — now preoccupied with its expanding cooperation with Russia over the war in Ukraine – feels no urgency to resume diplomacy with Seoul and Washington anytime soon. Solve the daily Crossword
