In a fiery statement, Kim Yo Jong emphasizes the regime's commitment to maintaining its broadcasting strategy and its unwillingness to improve relations with South Korea.
North Korea Stands Firm on Propaganda Loudspeakers despite South's Claims
North Korea Stands Firm on Propaganda Loudspeakers despite South's Claims
Tensions escalate as North Korea rejects assertions of removing border loudspeakers used for propaganda.
North Korea’s assertive denial comes after South Korea's military reported the removal of some loudspeakers, heightening the rhetoric between the two divided nations.
North Korea has firmly denied claims by South Korea that it has dismantled any of its propaganda loudspeakers along the heavily fortified border. In a statement released by state media KCNA, Kim Yo Jong, sister of leader Kim Jong Un, firmly claimed, “We have never removed [the speakers] and are not willing to remove them.” Kim's statements reflect an unwavering stance against improving inter-Korean relations, which she asserted would become a constitutional fixture in the future.
This controversy began when South Korea's military announced earlier this week that North Korea had, indeed, taken down some loudspeakers days after South Korea dismantled a portion of its own. Kim Yo Jong dismissed the assertion as an “unfounded unilateral supposition and a red herring,” indicative of the heightened suspicions and deteriorating relations between the two countries.
Normally, these loudspeakers are used to transmit propaganda, with South Korea often broadcasting popular K-pop songs, while North Korea responds with unsettling sounds, including howling animals. The noise has led to complaints from South Korean residents living near the border who say their lives are frequently disrupted, sometimes by broadcasts made in the middle of the night.
North Korean officials have historically considered the South's broadcasts to be an act of war, having previously threatened to blow up the speakers. After a six-year hiatus, under the leadership of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, South Korea resumed its loudspeaker broadcasts in June 2024 in response to escalating tensions spurred by North Korea sending trash-filled balloons across the border.
While newly-elected President Lee Jae Myung campaigned on a platform promising to enhance inter-Korean relations, his administration halted broadcasts shortly after he took office in June. Despite these efforts to restore trust, ongoing military drills between South Korea and the United States and North Korea's stern warnings have compounded the already tense atmosphere in the region.
North Korea has firmly denied claims by South Korea that it has dismantled any of its propaganda loudspeakers along the heavily fortified border. In a statement released by state media KCNA, Kim Yo Jong, sister of leader Kim Jong Un, firmly claimed, “We have never removed [the speakers] and are not willing to remove them.” Kim's statements reflect an unwavering stance against improving inter-Korean relations, which she asserted would become a constitutional fixture in the future.
This controversy began when South Korea's military announced earlier this week that North Korea had, indeed, taken down some loudspeakers days after South Korea dismantled a portion of its own. Kim Yo Jong dismissed the assertion as an “unfounded unilateral supposition and a red herring,” indicative of the heightened suspicions and deteriorating relations between the two countries.
Normally, these loudspeakers are used to transmit propaganda, with South Korea often broadcasting popular K-pop songs, while North Korea responds with unsettling sounds, including howling animals. The noise has led to complaints from South Korean residents living near the border who say their lives are frequently disrupted, sometimes by broadcasts made in the middle of the night.
North Korean officials have historically considered the South's broadcasts to be an act of war, having previously threatened to blow up the speakers. After a six-year hiatus, under the leadership of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, South Korea resumed its loudspeaker broadcasts in June 2024 in response to escalating tensions spurred by North Korea sending trash-filled balloons across the border.
While newly-elected President Lee Jae Myung campaigned on a platform promising to enhance inter-Korean relations, his administration halted broadcasts shortly after he took office in June. Despite these efforts to restore trust, ongoing military drills between South Korea and the United States and North Korea's stern warnings have compounded the already tense atmosphere in the region.
