South Korea turns off the "sound war": dismantling of loudspeakers on the border with the DPRK

 

South Korea is taking a significant step towards reducing tensions on its border with North Korea. Seoul authorities have begun dismantling loudspeakers that have long been used to broadcast propaganda, news, and even pop music deep into the territory of the DPRK. This decision is a vivid symbol of a change of course in the political approach to the North.

Previously, these powerful acoustic systems were a key element of the so-called "sonic war" between the two Korean states. South Korea included them in response to provocations from the north, such as rocket launches or explosions of border facilities. However, the new administration of President Yoon Suk Yeol has decided to abandon this practice, considering it as a factor that only exacerbates hostility. The dismantling of the loudspeakers is a concrete action designed to show Seoul's desire to ease the confrontation and possibly open the door to dialogue, although no official negotiations are planned yet.

It is worth noting that the dismantling takes place against the background of the fact that the DPRK had previously also destroyed its loudspeakers. Thus, both sides formally abandon one of the most high-profile (in the literal sense) tools of psychological warfare. However, experts emphasize that the real reduction in tension depends not so much on the dismantling of the speakers, but on the actions of the DPRK, in particular, on its nuclear and missile programs. Nevertheless, South Korea's move is an important signal of its desire for de—escalation and more stable relations on the Korean peninsula.