psywarrior.com
South Korea has begun dismantling loudspeakers used for anti-North Korea broadcasts along its border, the Ministry of National Defence confirmed on Monday, as the newly elected administration under President Lee Jae-myung pushes to reduce hostilities and reopen dialogue with Pyongyang.
“Starting today, the military has begun removing the loudspeakers,” Defence Ministry spokesperson Lee Kyung-ho told journalists. The move comes shortly after President Lee assumed office in June, when his government promptly halted the propaganda transmissions that had previously criticised North Korea’s leadership.
The decision signals a clear shift in policy, with the Lee administration making overt efforts to thaw strained inter-Korean relations and resume talks that have been dormant for years. However, these efforts have been met with resistance, as Pyongyang has firmly rejected Seoul’s recent diplomatic gestures.
The two Koreas technically remain in a state of war, given that the Korean War of 1950–1953 ended in an armistice rather than a formal peace treaty. Over the past several years, relations have reached new lows, marked by rising hostility and mutual provocations.
In a statement released on Monday, the Ministry of National Defence described the dismantling effort as “a practical measure aimed at helping ease tensions with the North, provided that such actions do not compromise the military’s state of readiness.” According to the ministry, all border loudspeakers are expected to be taken down by the end of the week, though officials declined to reveal the total number involved.
President Lee, who came to power after his predecessor was impeached for attempting to declare martial law, issued the order to shut off the broadcasts as part of a broader campaign to “restore trust” with North Korea.
Tensions between the two countries had escalated under the previous government, which adopted a tough stance toward Pyongyang. That administration resumed the broadcasts last year in retaliation for waves of propaganda balloons filled with trash and debris launched by North Korea into South Korean territory.
In contrast, President Lee has pledged to chart a new course by prioritizing diplomacy and de-escalation. His platform included commitments to improving inter-Korean relations and promoting peace on the peninsula, even if North Korea remains unresponsive for now.
Despite the overtures from Seoul, North Korea has shown little interest in returning to the negotiating table. Last week, Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, dismissed the South’s attempts at dialogue. “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…,” she said, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.
President Lee has reiterated his willingness to engage with Pyongyang unconditionally, signaling a complete departure from the hardline policies of his predecessor, who had overseen one of the chilliest periods in inter-Korean relations in recent memory. He has expressed hope that goodwill gestures, such as dismantling the loudspeakers, can pave the way for renewed diplomatic engagement.
