South Korean Intelligence Agency Stops Broadcast Targeting North Korean Regime

The demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North Korea and South Korea. (Wikimedia Commons/Johannes Barre)

JAKARTA - The National Intelligence Agency (NIS) has suspended all broadcasts that have been going on for decades targeting the North Korean regime this month, the anti-Pyongyang broadcaster said on Monday.

The move is in line with President Lee Jae-myung's government's efforts to improve tense relations with Pyongyang.

"The NIS radio broadcast channel targeting North Korea has stopped broadcasting them one by one this month," said Lee Kwang-baek, South Korea's president of the Unification Media Group, citing The Korea Times from Yonhap July 21.

It is known that the private media group focuses on radio broadcasts aimed at North Korea.

Meanwhile, Kim Seung-chul, head of another North Korea anti-Korean broadcaster, North Korea Reform Radio, also included "Voice of the People" and "Echo of Hope" as one of NIS' anti-North Korean radio channels that has stopped broadcasting recently.

Furthermore, the intelligence agency has also reportedly suspended its television broadcast targeting North Korea, although the organization declined to confirm the suspension.

The channels, which have been operating for decades through a change of government, have broadcast propaganda messages targeting North Korea, promoting the values of South Korea's free society, and criticizing the North Korean regime.

This suspension comes amid efforts by the Lee government to ease military tensions and revive dialogue with North Korea.

Shortly after taking office last month, President Lee's Administration suspended a campaign of military loudspeaker broadcasts targeting North Korea along the inter-Korean border, and urged the termination of a propaganda leaflet campaign by civil society groups.