SEOUL, South Korea: South Korea announced Sunday, the resumption of loudspeaker propaganda campaigns against North Korea in response to Pyongyang’s latest provocation of sending balloons filled with trash across the border. This move is expected to escalate tensions further between the two Koreas.
South Korea’s broadcasts, which include world news, information about democratic and capitalist societies, and popular K-pop music, are designed to travel over 20 kilometers into North Korea. The decision to resume these broadcasts comes after North Korea sent over 300 trash-filled balloons into South Korea on June 8, a move that Seoul’s military condemned and described as a “low-class provocation.”
The South Korean president’s office emphasized that the responsibility for the escalation of tension lies entirely with the North. Despite the challenging measures, the broadcasts aim to deliver messages of hope to the North Korean military and citizens. Recent activities by South Korean activists, who sent balloons with K-pop, dollar bills, and anti-Kim Jong Un propaganda, have further infuriated Pyongyang, prompting retaliatory actions.
North Korea’s response included nearly a thousand balloons filled with waste materials sent across the border in late May and early June, which was briefly halted before resuming on June 8. Seoul’s government, limited by legal constraints, has struggled to prevent these activist launches. The latest batch of balloons from the North contained waste paper and plastic, which, while not harmful to safety, prompted public warnings from Seoul’s officials.
Resuming the loudspeaker broadcasts could have serious implications. Historically, such propaganda tactics have led to real-world consequences, including threats of artillery strikes from North Korea. Cheong Seong-chang, director of the Korean peninsula strategy at Sejong Institute, warned that this move could lead to armed conflict, with North Korea potentially resuming artillery fire in the West Sea or targeting the balloons.
The resumption of broadcasts marks a significant shift from the 2018 agreement between the two Koreas to cease all hostile acts, including leaflet distribution and loudspeaker broadcasts. This agreement was made during a period of improved inter-Korean relations. However, the relationship has deteriorated, with North Korea ramping up weapons testing and South Korea strengthening ties with the United States.
In 2020, South Korea passed a law criminalizing the act of sending leaflets to the North, which led to North Korea cutting off all official communication with the South and destroying an inter-Korean liaison office. Last year, South Korea’s Constitutional Court struck down this law, citing it as an undue limitation on free speech, but activists have continued their campaigns.
The current situation reflects the deepening rift between the two Koreas and the potential for further escalation. As South Korea resumes its loudspeaker broadcasts, the region watches closely, anticipating the possible repercussions of this renewed propaganda war.
