S. Korean loudspeakers fully on against N. Korea across frontlines

The South Korean military suddenly resumed loudspeaker broadcasts at 1 p.m. on Sunday across all over the frontline area, raising the level of threat to the North Korean regime, which kept sending trash balloons despite continued warnings. Last month, Seoul reopened propaganda loudspeakers for the first time in six years but it was not a full-scale reopening.

Given that loudspeaker broadcasts are one of the most terrifying tactics for North Korea in psychological warfare, experts foresee that the regime may carry out local armed provocations at the forefronts, taking the resumption of broadcasts as an excuse. The South Korean military boosted readiness against North Korea’s possible threats by getting K-9 Thunder and other artillery ready across the frontlines. Consequently, the two Koreas will likely be embroiled in growing tension along the military demarcation line.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff announced on Sunday that the military would resume loudspeaker broadcasts across all over the frontline area as it has warned multiple times against Pyongyang’s trash balloons sent last Thursday and on Sunday morning. Starting from 1 p.m., the military turned on 24 fixed-type loudspeakers installed at the eastern, western, and central frontlines, planning to keep them on from early morning to late night for more than 10 hours a day. It intends to deploy 16 movable loudspeakers using vehicles, if needed. “Although torrential downpour has taken a heavy toll on both sides, we had no option but to react to the North Korean military’s repetitive acts of vulgarity and childishness,” said a South Korean military insider.

It has been reported that the military will keep all available loudspeakers on until the regime announces a halt on trash balloon tactics. A military source said, “Even if Pyongyang stops sending trash balloons, we will not likely put a complete halt on loudspeaker broadcasts but keep them partially on while keeping a close eye on its behavior.”


Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com