Space Industry and Business News
NUKEWARS
S. Korea halts loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts against North
S. Korea halts loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts against North
by AFP Staff Writers
Seoul (AFP) June 11, 2025

South Korea on Wednesday halted loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts into the nuclear-armed North, the defence ministry said, adding it was a bid to "restore trust" under Seoul's new administration.

The decision to suspend the broadcasts was "to make good on a promise to restore trust in South-North Korea relations and seek peace on the Korean peninsula", the defence ministry said in a brief statement.

A ministry spokesperson told AFP the broadcasts were halted Wednesday afternoon.

Ties between the two Koreas deteriorated under the hardline administration of hawkish ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol.

But Yoon was impeached and stripped of office earlier this year over an abortive martial law declaration. After winning last week's snap poll, Seoul's new President Lee Jae-myung pledged to improve ties with Pyongyang.

The loudspeakers were turned on in the demilitarised zone that divides the two Koreas in June last year in response to a barrage of trash-filled balloons flown southward by Pyongyang.

The North claimed the balloons were a response to activists floating similar missives filled with anti-Kim Jong Un propaganda and US dollar bills northwards.

The two Koreas technically remain at war because the 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.

The anti-North Korea broadcasts infuriate Pyongyang, which has previously threatened artillery strikes against Seoul's loudspeaker units.

South Korea's resumption of its broadcasts last year was the first time the tactic had been used in six years.

They typically consist of blaring K-pop songs and news reports into the North.

- North Korea response? -

In response, North Korea turned on its own propaganda broadcasts, sending strange and unsettling noises into the South at all hours, prompting complaints from border residents.

On Ganghwa island, which is very close to the North, villager Ahn Hyo-cheol told AFP that the North Korean noises had "not subsided at all" by Wednesday afternoon.

"While I don't have high hopes for how North Korea might change, I think the government's decision to halt loudspeaker broadcasts toward the North is the right move," he said.

Ganghwa county councillor Park Heung-yeol told AFP the move by Seoul was "long overdue".

"Halting the loudspeaker broadcasts should not be the end -- we must also work to restore inter-Korean communication channels and initiate dialogue to stop the North's broadcasts targeting the South," Park added.

Lee, who took office the day after last week's election, has vowed to improve ties with the North through dialogue.

"No matter how costly, peace is better than war," he said after he was elected.

North Korea has not commented on Lee's election except for a brief news report informing its public of his win.

Lee comes to power with his party already holding a parliamentary majority -- secure for the next three years -- meaning he is likely to be able to get his legislative agenda done.

The halt to loudspeaker broadcasts "is a clear signal from Lee that he intends to deliver on his campaign promise to improve ties with the North and that he has no hostile intent toward it," said Hong Min, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification.

"We can expect Lee to take further steps to further this stance, such as attempting to revive a military agreement with the North that was scrapped last year," Hong said.

"The North could reciprocate by halting its own noise campaign targeting South Koreans living on border-area islands."

Related Links
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
NUKEWARS
South Korea's new leader vows to 'heal wounds' with nuclear-armed North
Seoul (AFP) June 4, 2025
South Korea's President Lee Jae-myung vowed to reach out to the nuclear-armed North and "heal wounds" as he took office Wednesday, after winning a snap election triggered by his predecessor's disastrous martial law declaration. South Korea's new centre-left leader also warned that "rising protectionism and supply chain restructuring" pose an existential threat to Asia's export-dependent fourth-largest economy, which has been buffeted by the global trade chaos sparked by US President Donald Trump. ... read more

NUKEWARS
Rare earths: China's trump card in trade war with US

Look Up secures major capital boost to expand radar network and space traffic services

Trump pocketed over $57 mn from crypto coin sales

AI analysis says Dead Sea Scrolls are older than thought

NUKEWARS
Skynet 6A military satellite advances with successful module integration

Skynet 6A reaches integration milestone as Airbus prepares next-gen military satellite

Enveil Secures DIU Contract to Advance Hybrid Space Architecture Data Capabilities

Retired four-star US admiral convicted on corruption charges

NUKEWARS
NUKEWARS
SpaceX launches advanced GPS satellite for Space Force

Satellites Enhance Navigation Safety on the Mersey with Cutting-Edge Tidal Mapping

Sierra Space Reaches Key Milestone in Space Force R-GPS Program

Children as young as five can navigate a 'tiny town'

NUKEWARS
Israel says killed most of Iran Guards' air force leadership

Japan, China trade barbs over fighter jet manoeuvres

China blaming Japan for fighter jet incidents 'unacceptable': Tokyo

Finland says suspects Russian aircraft violated airspace

NUKEWARS
Taiwan adds China's Huawei, SMIC to export blacklist

New technique links aromatic rings for cleaner production of high-tech materials

World's first non-silicon 2D computer developed

IBM claims 'real world' edge in quantum computing race

NUKEWARS
BlackSky Gen-3 delivers very hi-res imagery at warfighting speed - 12 hours after launch

NASA's Ready-to-Use Dataset Details Land Motion Across North America

Space lasers, AI used by geospatial scientist to measure forest biomass

China Adds Shijian 26 Satellite to Its Growing Remote-Sensing Fleet

NUKEWARS
Nations call for strong plastics treaty as difficult talks loom

S.Africa's gold mining past poisons Soweto community, residents say

Toxic Thailand rivers pinned on Myanmar mines

Indonesia revokes most mining permits in dive hotspot after outcry

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.