After a six-year hiatus, the South Korean military has resumed broadcasting messages via loudspeakers to North Korea, a practice that was halted under the Moon Jae In administration in 2018.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff announced on June 9, “As we warned against North Korea’s trash balloons, we conducted loudspeaker broadcasts this afternoon.” The Presidential Office held an emergency National Security Council (NSC) standing committee meeting chaired by Chief of National Security Chang Ho Jin, where it was decided to install the loudspeakers and commence broadcasts.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff recently conducted training in the forward areas to master the procedures for moving, installing, and operating the loudspeakers, also known as Echo of Freedom, and took action the following day.
The last time loudspeaker broadcasts were conducted towards North Korea was approximately six years ago, after about 40 broadcasting facilities were dismantled following the Panmunjom Declaration on April 27, 2018.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff emphasized, “Whether or not we continue the loudspeaker broadcasts towards North Korea entirely depends on North Korea’s actions. We clearly state that North Korea bears all responsibility for this situation and strongly urge them to immediately cease their despicable acts, such as sending trash balloons.” They added, “Our military will maintain the capability and readiness to respond overwhelmingly to any provocation under the solid South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture while closely monitoring North Korea’s various activities.”
The loudspeaker broadcasts toward North Korea were carried out by rebroadcasting the military’s psychological warfare radio program Voice of Freedom. However, the military did not disclose the location of the broadcasts or the type and quantity of equipment used.
Defense Minister Shin Won Sik presided over a meeting with key military commanders to check the readiness for the loudspeaker broadcasts. Minister Shin ordered, “If North Korea provokes, we will retaliate firmly according to the immediate, strong, and thorough principle.”