Military suspends loudspeaker broadcasts against North Korea in border area

Seoul, June 11 South Korea's military on Wednesday suspended its loudspeaker broadcasts along the border against North Korea amid prospects the new government will seek to mend strained ties with Pyongyang.

The halt came a year after the military had resumed such propaganda broadcasts in June last year in response to North Korea's repeated launch of trash-carrying balloons across the border.

"The decision was made as part of efforts to carry out the promise of restoring inter-Korean trust and peace on the Korean Peninsula," a Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) official said.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, who took office last week, has vowed to suspend anti-Pyongyang leaflet campaigns and loudspeaker broadcasts against North Korea as he seeks to improve frayed inter-Korean relations.

Earlier on June 9, South Korea's military had said whether to suspend anti-Pyongyang loudspeaker broadcasts along the border would depend on North Korea's actions.

South Korea had resumed loudspeaker broadcasts near the heavily fortified border a year ago, in response to the North's repeated launch of trash-carrying balloons across the border. The North had also blared loudspeaker broadcasts toward the South, causing inconveniences to border residents.

"Our military decided on the resumption of loudspeaker broadcasts in June last year ... we are conducting it in a flexible manner in conjunction with the strategic and operational situation," Col. Lee Sung-jun, spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) told a regular press briefing, when asked about the possibility of halting such an operation.

Lee, the JCS official had reaffirmed suspending the loudspeaker broadcasts would depend on North Korea's behaviour, while leaving open the possibility for such a change.

"A comprehensive, government-level review is necessary in consideration of the security situation," he said.

The JCS official said the North had continued to conduct loudspeaker broadcasts toward the South both day and night in the border areas as well as the Yellow Sea.

The unification ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs also expressed regret over anti-Pyongyang leafleting by a group of abductee families in an apparent shift of stance following Lee's inauguration.

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