The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) halted the anti-North Korea loudspeaker broadcasts in the forward area starting in the afternoon on the 11th. While North Korea's broadcasts toward the South continue, the South has proactively ceased them. The Yoon Suk-yeol administration decided to resume the broadcasts for the first time in six years last June, making this decision roughly a year later.

The JCS stated, “We halted the anti-North Korea loudspeaker broadcasts across all frontlines starting this afternoon.” An official from the Ministry of National Defense noted that this move was in line with fulfilling the public pledge to restore trust in inter-Korean relations and peace on the Korean Peninsula. It is reported that the decision to stop the loudspeaker broadcasts came following instructions from the presidential office. Previously, President Lee Jae-myung mentioned the cessation of the broadcasts several times, citing reasons including the restoration of the Sept. 19 military agreement and easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Loudspeakers for North Korea installed at our base in the border area of Paju, Gyeonggi. /Courtesy of News1

The anti-North Korea loudspeaker broadcasts were resumed in June last year. As North Korea continued to launch balloons filled with waste and trash, the Yoon Suk-yeol administration convened an emergency standing committee of the National Security Council last June and decided to respond by suspending the effect of the Sept. 19 military agreement and restarting the loudspeaker broadcasts. This psychological warfare tool, feared by North Korea, was also temporarily utilized during the fourth nuclear test in 2016.

However, with the recent suspension measure, the anti-North Korea loudspeaker broadcasts have come to a halt. The fact that no waste or trash balloons have been launched since November last year appears to have been taken into consideration. There is also speculation that this is effectively sending a message to North Korea to improve inter-Korean relations.

Meanwhile, North Korea's broadcasts toward the South continue, and it is reported that there are no observed unusual movements from the North Korean military so far.