North Korea has denied removing any of the loudspeakers used to blast propaganda towards the South, contradicting claims made earlier this week by Seoul.
In a statement released by state media, Kim Yo Jong — sister of leader Kim Jong Un and a senior propaganda official — dismissed the reports as “unfounded” and “a red herring”. She said the devices had “never” been taken down and would remain in place, adding that Pyongyang’s unwillingness to improve relations with the South “will be fixed in our constitution in the future”.
Her comments were in response to a South Korean military briefing which suggested that some North Korean speakers had been dismantled along the heavily fortified border. The South’s announcement came just days after it began taking down parts of its own system.
The rival sound systems have long been a feature of the tense frontier. From the South came news bulletins, political messages, and bursts of K-pop. From the North, eerie sound effects — including howling animals — mingled with ideological slogans. For residents living near the demilitarised zone, the noise could carry late into the night.
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The latest dispute follows a series of tit-for-tat provocations. In June 2024, Seoul restarted its broadcasts after a six-year pause, responding to the North’s launch of balloons filled with rubbish across the border. The decision reflected the tougher stance of then-president Yoon Suk Yeol, who was later impeached.
Ties appeared to thaw when Lee Jae Myung took office in June this year, promising a more conciliatory approach. His administration halted the broadcasts soon after, describing the move as part of efforts to “restore trust” and “achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula”.
However, the mood is still tense. This week, Pyongyang warned of “resolute counteraction” ahead of joint US-South Korean military drills.
Loudspeaker broadcasts are viewed in the North as a serious provocation — an act it has previously threatened to answer with force.