North Korea Starts Dismantling Border Loudspeakers in Latest Easing of Tensions

SEOUL, Aug 9 (Bernama-Yonhap) -- North Korea on Saturday began dismantling some loudspeakers installed along the border for propaganda broadcasts against South Korea, Yonhap news agency quoted the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) as saying.

The move comes days after South Korea completed removing its own anti-Pyongyang loudspeakers along the heavily fortified border, following the suspension of broadcasts on June 11 in line with South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung’s efforts to ease tensions.

“Activities by the North Korean military removing loudspeakers against South Korea have been detected in parts of the front-line area since Saturday morning,” the JCS said, adding that further verification was needed to determine if the dismantling would take place in all border areas.

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North Korea has long opposed such broadcasts and anti-Pyongyang leaflets, viewing them as a threat to its regime.

Under former president Yoon Suk Yeol, South Korea resumed the loudspeaker campaign in June last year for the first time in six years, after Pyongyang sent thousands of trash-filled balloons across the border.

Since taking office in June, Lee has halted the broadcasts, urged civic groups to stop sending leaflets, and delayed about half of the 40 planned field training exercises under the annual South Korea-US Ulchi Freedom Shield drills, which begin later this month.

-- BERNAMA-YONHAP