Amid escalating tensions between North and South Korea, North Korean officials firmly deny South Korea's assertions regarding the removal of propaganda loudspeakers along the border. North Korea's Kim Yo Jong insists that the speakers will remain as a testament to their unwavering stance against improving relations with their southern neighbor.
Tensions Escalate as North Korea Denies Removing Propaganda Loudspeakers
Tensions Escalate as North Korea Denies Removing Propaganda Loudspeakers
North Korean officials refute claims of loudspeaker removals near the border, emphasizing their commitment to propaganda.
North Korea has firmly rejected claims that it has dismantled its propaganda loudspeakers stationed along the border with South Korea. In a statement released by state media KCNA on Thursday, Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, asserted that the country has "never removed" these speakers and expresses no inclination to do so. She emphasized that North Korea's intent to remain adversarial towards South Korea will soon be enshrined in their constitution.
This denial follows reports from South Korea's military, which indicated that some of North Korea's loudspeakers had been taken down, coinciding with the South's own dismantling efforts. Describing Seoul's claims as "an unfounded unilateral supposition and a red herring," Kim, who holds a significant propaganda position, reiterated North Korea's stance on inter-Korean relations.
Residents near the demilitarized zone have voiced concerns about the disruptive noise emanating from both North and South, which includes North Korea's unsettling soundscapes, contrasting with South Korea's K-pop broadcasts. Historically, North Korea deems these transmissions from the South as acts of war, threatening to destroy the loudspeakers in the past.
After a six-year hiatus, South Korea resumed its broadcasts in June 2024 under the administration of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, who adopted a more hardline approach towards the North following escalating tensions, which included North Korean balloon deployments with refuse aimed at South Korea.
Since the election of President Lee Jae Myung, who championed enhanced inter-Korean relations, South Korea has paused its broadcasting efforts in a bid to "restore trust" and promote peace on the Korean Peninsula. However, relations between the two nations continue to be fraught, with North Korea recently admonishing the South for provocations leading up to collaborative military drills with the United States.
This denial follows reports from South Korea's military, which indicated that some of North Korea's loudspeakers had been taken down, coinciding with the South's own dismantling efforts. Describing Seoul's claims as "an unfounded unilateral supposition and a red herring," Kim, who holds a significant propaganda position, reiterated North Korea's stance on inter-Korean relations.
Residents near the demilitarized zone have voiced concerns about the disruptive noise emanating from both North and South, which includes North Korea's unsettling soundscapes, contrasting with South Korea's K-pop broadcasts. Historically, North Korea deems these transmissions from the South as acts of war, threatening to destroy the loudspeakers in the past.
After a six-year hiatus, South Korea resumed its broadcasts in June 2024 under the administration of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, who adopted a more hardline approach towards the North following escalating tensions, which included North Korean balloon deployments with refuse aimed at South Korea.
Since the election of President Lee Jae Myung, who championed enhanced inter-Korean relations, South Korea has paused its broadcasting efforts in a bid to "restore trust" and promote peace on the Korean Peninsula. However, relations between the two nations continue to be fraught, with North Korea recently admonishing the South for provocations leading up to collaborative military drills with the United States.
