### South Korea Aims for Peace by Silencing K-Pop Propaganda at North Border

On June 11, 2025, South Korea's military fulfilled President Lee Jae-myung's directive to power down loudspeakers that had been pumping K-pop music and news into North Korea for a year. This action is aimed at fostering better relations between the divided nations. According to Lee’s spokesperson, Kang Yu-jung, this decision is intended to “help restore trust in South-North Korean relations and build peace on the Korean Peninsula.”

Relations between South and North Korea had deteriorated significantly under former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who actively encouraged the dissemination of information critical of the North's regime. This led to hostile exchanges, with North Korea retaliating against South Korean broadcasts with its own propaganda efforts, including sending balloons filled with debris across the border. These escalating tensions also prompted many South Koreans living near the border to take measures against the intrusive sounds by enhancing their home sound insulation.

Interestingly, Lee's government took the first step to initiate a quieter phase in this ongoing “loudspeaker war.” The South Korean military is closely monitoring the situation, awaiting a possible reciprocal shutdown of North Korea's loudspeakers. This initiative illustrates a broader push towards peaceful diplomacy and an effort to stabilize relations on the Korean Peninsula.