South Korean soldiers on Monday began quietly dismantling towering propaganda loudspeakers that used to blare propaganda across the border, marking the most tangible step yet in President Lee Jae-myung’s drive to de-escalate tensions and revive the prospect of inter-Korean dialogue.
The move came despite a sharp rebuke from Kim Yo-jong, the powerful and influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who last week dismissed Seoul’s outreach efforts as “sentimental words” and insisted that Pyongyang had no interest in reconciliation.
South Korean military crews started removing the loudspeakers and associated equipment on Monday, roughly two months after their broadcasts were halted. “This is a practical measure that can help ease inter-Korean tensions without affecting the military’s readiness posture,” the Defence Ministry said in a statement.
Soldiers dismantle propaganda loudspeakers aimed at North Korea on Monday. Photo: South Korean Defence Ministry
The dismantling process will take about a week and cover 20 sites along the 250km (155-mile) border dividing the Korean peninsula, according to Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Lee Kyung-ho, who told reporters that there was no prior consultation with North Korea.
When asked whether Pyongyang might reciprocate by dismantling its own loudspeakers, a spokesman for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said there were no such indications.
“North Korea appears to be conducting maintenance work on its loudspeakers, but no signs of dismantling have been detected,” Colonel Lee Sung-jun said. “No unusual movement by the North Korean military has been observed so far.”
‘Friendly atmosphere’
Dismantling the speakers sent a strong signal of Seoul’s intent to reduce tensions in an “irreversible” manner, said Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies.
