The military of South Korea has reported that North Korea has commenced the dismantling of certain propaganda loudspeakers aimed at the South in specific areas along the border, in a gesture that mirrors similar actions taken by Seoul to reduce tensions. The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea have not yet revealed the exact locations where the dismantling activities are occurring and are awaiting further confirmation to ascertain if the process is being implemented across all relevant areas. They will continue to monitor these developments closely.
The military announced on Saturday that activities involving the removal of North Korean loudspeakers targeted at South Korea were observed in parts of the front-line area as of Saturday morning.
Certain South Korean border residents had previously complained about the loud and disruptive sounds emanating from North Korean speakers, which ranged from the noise of howling animals to the pounding of gongs. These sounds were in retaliation for South Korea’s own propaganda broadcasts.
North Korea, known for its sensitivity to any external criticism of its authoritarian regime under its leader Kim Jong-un, has not yet confirmed that it is indeed removing its loudspeakers.
This recent action is a rare indication of reconciliation between the two Koreas since President Lee Jae Myung assumed office in June, succeeding the conservative and hardline former president Yoon Suk Yeol. Following Lee’s election, his administration halted propaganda broadcasts critical of the North Korean regime in an effort to revive dialogue with its neighbor. The North Korean military also ceased similar broadcasts in June.
A week ago, South Korea began taking down its own loudspeakers, which broadcast a mix of world news, information about democratic and capitalist society, and K-pop music – sounds that are believed to reach over 20 km (12.4 miles) into North Korea.
Despite these recent conciliatory measures, previous actions under the conservative administration saw a resumption of daily loudspeaker broadcasts by South Korea in June last year, following a years-long suspension. This was a response to North Korea’s act of sending balloons filled with trash toward the South.
In his attempts to foster better relations with Pyongyang, President Lee has also called on civil groups to halt the distribution of leaflets critical of the North and has delayed some annual joint military drills with the U.S. that were scheduled to take place in the coming weeks as part of the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises.
The two Koreas still remain technically at war, as the 1950-53 Korean War concluded with a truce rather than a peace treaty. Their relationship has become strained over the past few years.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/10/north-korea-removing-propaganda-loudspeakers-in-border-areas-amid-efforts-to-ease-tensions
