On June 4, former Representative Thae Yong Ho of the People Power Party expressed his strong support for the possibility of resuming loudspeaker broadcasts to North Korea in response to North Korea’s scattering of propaganda leaflets. He said, “If (the North Korean soldiers) keep listening to (the broadcasts), even though they are a military force created to fight against South Korea, they would become completely Koreanized.”
In an interview with SBS Radio Kim Tae Hyun’s Political Show, former Representative Thae said, “When North Korean soldiers come to the demilitarized zone, they stay there for 10 years. (If we resume the broadcasts), They will keep listening to our news, traditional Korean music, and songs from BTS.” Thae stated, “In North Korea, resuming the broadcasts completely shakes the foundation of the regime,” and added, “It is the most powerful weapon that can effectively deter North Korea’s provocations. That’s what I want to say.”
He also discussed the method of resuming loudspeaker broadcasts to North Korea, saying, “If North Korea scatters propaganda leaflets again, we should immediately resume loudspeaker broadcasts to North Korea. If North Korea stops scattering, we will also stop. We need to respond proportionally.”
Regarding the prohibition of civilian organizations scattering leaflets to North Korea, Thae shared, “I think it is an excessive use of administrative power for the government to prohibit it,” adding, “We can communicate with North Korean organizations.”
Moreover, regarding the future operation of the South Korean military in the event of a complete suspension of the 9/19 Military Agreement, Thae emphasized, “We are currently restricted from flying due to the military agreement, so we can’t closely monitor North Korea.” He also stressed, “Closely monitoring North Korea is urgent, so we should do it as soon as possible.”