South Korea Begins To Unload Loudspeakers Directed To North Korea

Illustration of the demolition of loudspeakers by the South Korean military. (Source: Joint Press Corps)

JAKARTA - The South Korean military has begun to dismantle propaganda loudspeakers along the inter-Korean border, in a recent signal of efforts to restore relations with North Korea.

The Ministry of National Defense said Monday morning that the demolition began on Sunday and is expected to be completed this week.

"This is a practical act aimed at reducing tensions between the two Koreas, which are carried out within scope that does not affect the posture of our military readiness," the ministry said in a statement.

Previously, loudspeakers used to broadcast K-pop songs and news critical of Kim Jong-un's regime were suspended in the first days after President Lee Jae-myung's inauguration on June 4.

The demolition operation includes all 20 fixed loudspeakers, with the removal expected to be completed in two to three days. About 10 cell loudspeakers were withdrawn in June, when broadcasts were suspended.

"Since stopping Loudspeaker broadcasts in June, our ministry has held follow-up discussions on the matter. Consultations have also been held with relevant organizations," Deputy Spokesperson Lee Kyung-Ho said in a briefing.

Lee declined to comment when asked if the demolition hinted at a loudspeaker option now completely off the table in a military response to a potential provocation by North Korea, such as missile launches or a waste balloon campaign.

"I don't think it's right to make premature judgments at this stage. All I can say is that the military always maintains a high level of readiness," he said.

The transfer operation was not coordinated previously with North Korea, according to the ministry.

On the other hand, North Korea is known to have operated its own loudspeaker aimed south, transmitting the sound of a high-pitched metal that is described as resembling a visor metal. However, those broadcasts stopped after Seoul suspended its transmission in June.

Meanwhile, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), Pyongyang recently observed doing maintenance work on some loudspeakers, but there were no signs of dismantling them.

"Since our military began dismantling its equipment first, no further movement has been detected from the North Korean military," said JCS spokesman Colonel Lee Sung-jun.

Minister of Unification Chung Dong-young described military operations as "the right step" towards improving inter-Korean relations.

"In the end, the main problem between the two Koreas today is restoring trust, which has been completely broken. I see this as a step towards rebuilding that trust," Chung told reporters on Monday.

The suspension of the military psychological warfare campaign was one of the first in a series of steps by the Liberal government of Lee to improve relations with Pyongyang.

The Ginseng State Government also called on civilian groups to stop launching anti-North Korea propaganda leaflets across the border and allow humanitarian reach in the north.

It is known that a military loudspeaker was again installed near the border in June 2024 under Yoon Suk-yeol's previous administration, in a tit-for-tat response to the northern waste balloon campaign.

It was the first time loudspeakers have been re-installed since their last use in 2016.