Recently, the South Korean military has activated all loudspeaker broadcasts aimed at North Korea from its front-line areas simultaneously. Military authorities believe that continuing these broadcasts could lead to psychological effects such as unrest, disciplinary issues, and defections within North Korea.
During a regular briefing on the 22nd, Lee Sung Jun, the spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, explained the strategy behind the loudspeaker broadcasts targeting North Korea. He stated, “The effects of loudspeaker broadcasts do not appear immediately after a single broadcast. We expect that continued listening will gradually yield results,” and added, “We anticipate various effects, including secondary impacts.”
Since late May, North Korea has launched balloons filled with trash and waste nine times in retaliation against leaflets distributed by South Korean civilian organizations. Yesterday, around 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., approximately 500 waste-carrying balloons were released towards South Korea, with over 240 landing in northern Gyeonggi Province and Seoul. The majority of the contents were paper waste.
The South Korean military had initially been broadcasting from fixed loudspeakers deployed along the western, central, and eastern front lines in rotation. However, starting at 1 p.m. yesterday, they changed their strategy to activate all loudspeakers in the front-line areas simultaneously.
It is reported that the military currently possesses 40 loudspeakers targeting North Korea, including 24 fixed and 16 mobile units. The spokesperson confirmed, “As of 1 p.m. yesterday, we have lifted all restrictions on the North Korean loudspeaker broadcasts,” stating that both fixed and mobile loudspeakers will be operational moving forward.
The South Korean military plans to continue the loudspeaker broadcasts targeting North Korea until the North stops sending trash balloons.
The broadcasts, part of the “Voice of Freedom” program operated by the Military Psychological Operations Command under the Ministry of National Defense, feature various content. Recent broadcasts have included popular South Korean songs, such as Jang Yoon Jung’s “Olla,” aimed at reaching audiences across the border.
Recent broadcasts have included reports about a North Korean soldier who attempted to defect but was captured within the demilitarized zone (DMZ) of the 46th Army Division. They also covered an explosion incident that occurred during landmine placement in areas controlled by the 3rd, 15th, 5th, 25th, and 2nd Army Divisions, which resulted in multiple fatalities among North Korean soldiers.
Furthermore, the broadcasts have detailed the defection of North Korean counselor Ri Il Kyu to Cuba, the North’s waste balloon campaigns, and the harsh realities of the Kim Jong Un regime. They included a message to North Korean soldiers engaged in tasks such as working in barren areas, laying landmines, and constructing tactical roads, urging them to “escape from a hellish life of slavery.”
The spokesperson added that there is content that could benefit North Korean residents and soldiers and materials that promote their system. They emphasized that North Korea bears full responsibility for the consequences of its waste balloon campaigns.
