SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea has started dismantling some of its propaganda loudspeakers along the inter-Korean border, South Korea’s military said Saturday, signaling a possible effort to reduce tensions between the two countries.
The move follows South Korea’s removal of its own loudspeakers earlier in the week. These dismantlings come after South Korea’s new liberal president, Lee Jae Myung, halted anti-North broadcasts as part of his administration’s efforts to improve inter-Korean relations.
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed the North’s actions but did not specify the number or locations of the dismantled units. It remains unclear whether North Korea plans to remove all of its speakers.
In recent months, North Korea had reportedly used its border loudspeakers to play disruptive sounds, including animal noises and gongs, in response to South Korea’s broadcasts of K-pop music and anti-regime messages. These psychological tactics reignited Cold War-style tensions, exacerbated by North Korea’s nuclear advancements and Seoul’s growing military cooperation with the U.S. and Japan.
North Korea has not officially confirmed the dismantling of its speakers.
President Lee, who assumed office in June following the early departure of conservative predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, has signaled a shift in tone toward Pyongyang. However, North Korean officials have remained skeptical. In late July, Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, rejected Seoul’s overtures, criticizing its continued reliance on the U.S. alliance.
North Korea has shown little interest in resuming denuclearization talks with the U.S. or South Korea, focusing instead on strengthening ties with Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
