Kim Yo Jong's rebuttal emphasizes ongoing hostility and a commitment to constitutional rigidity against relations with the South.
**North Korea Firm on Propaganda Loudspeakers amid Tensions with South**
**North Korea Firm on Propaganda Loudspeakers amid Tensions with South**
North Korea denies claims of removing loudspeakers, reiterating its stance against South Korea.
North Korea has officially dismissed allegations that it has removed its propaganda loudspeakers from the border with South Korea. In a statement released through state media KCNA, Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, asserted that the North has "never removed" these speakers and expressed unwillingness to do so in the future. This declaration comes in response to claims from South Korean military officials stating that some of the loudspeakers had been dismantled, coinciding with South Korea's own reduction in loudspeaker broadcasts.
Kim Yo Jong, who serves as the deputy director of North Korea's propaganda department, labeled the South's assertions as an "unfounded unilateral supposition" designed to mislead. She clarified that North Korea has consistently maintained a position of zero willingness to improve relations with South Korea, noting that this policy would soon be codified in their constitution.
The rivalry between the two Koreas has manifested through relentless propaganda exchanges, where the South projects K-pop songs to counteract North's unsettling noise broadcasts. Residents near the border have raised concerns over disturbances caused by both nations' transmissions, often in the dead of night.
North Korea has historically viewed South Korea's propaganda efforts as provocative, ominously warning of potential retaliatory actions, including the threat to destroy the loudspeakers. The cycle of hostility was reignited when South Korea resumed broadcasts in June 2024 after a six-year hiatus under President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose hardline approach resulted in heightened tensions.
Under new leadership with President Lee Jae Myung, South Korea paused its broadcasts earlier this month, aiming to "restore trust" and foster peace on the peninsula. Nevertheless, the relationship remains fragile, with ongoing threats from North Korea regarding "resolute counteraction" in light of impending joint military exercises by South Korea and the United States.
Kim Yo Jong, who serves as the deputy director of North Korea's propaganda department, labeled the South's assertions as an "unfounded unilateral supposition" designed to mislead. She clarified that North Korea has consistently maintained a position of zero willingness to improve relations with South Korea, noting that this policy would soon be codified in their constitution.
The rivalry between the two Koreas has manifested through relentless propaganda exchanges, where the South projects K-pop songs to counteract North's unsettling noise broadcasts. Residents near the border have raised concerns over disturbances caused by both nations' transmissions, often in the dead of night.
North Korea has historically viewed South Korea's propaganda efforts as provocative, ominously warning of potential retaliatory actions, including the threat to destroy the loudspeakers. The cycle of hostility was reignited when South Korea resumed broadcasts in June 2024 after a six-year hiatus under President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose hardline approach resulted in heightened tensions.
Under new leadership with President Lee Jae Myung, South Korea paused its broadcasts earlier this month, aiming to "restore trust" and foster peace on the peninsula. Nevertheless, the relationship remains fragile, with ongoing threats from North Korea regarding "resolute counteraction" in light of impending joint military exercises by South Korea and the United States.
