North Korea Threatens to Restart Border Propaganda

North Korea says it plans to resume anti-South Korea propaganda broadcasts along the border, while South Korea is urging Pyongyang to discuss ways to reduce tensions and prevent an accidental military clash. Kim Yo Jong, a senior North Korean official and sister of leader Kim Jong Un, announced the plan after visiting border fortifications with senior military officials. She warned that South Korea could face “the most horrible and distressing situation” if it continued what Pyongyang describes as interference in North Korea’s internal affairs. In a statement the following day, Kim said new North Korean “counter means” would be put on alert and loudspeakers would be on standby within days, without specifying what the additional measures would be. Tensions have risen after a landmine blast in the Demilitarized Zone wounded three South Korean soldiers last month. Seoul accused North Korean troops of deliberately laying mines during fortification work, but Kim rejected the charge as fabricated. She also accused South Korean troops of broadcasting warnings and firing warning shots near the border; Seoul said the shots were legitimate defensive measures. North Korea has been reinforcing its side of the heavily militarized border with mines, barbed-wire fences, anti-tank barriers and other fortifications. It has pursued these measures since 2024 as part of an effort to establish what it calls a permanent border. Both Koreas have historically used loudspeakers to broadcast propaganda across the DMZ. South Korean broadcasts have included K-pop and news, which have angered Pyongyang and prompted reciprocal broadcasts. South Korea’s Ministry of National Defence called for discussions on easing border tensions. However, Pyongyang has cut off a military hotline and said it would no longer pursue dialogue or unification with South Korea, which it now describes as its foe. The DMZ was established after the 1950–53 Korean War ended in an armistice, leaving the two countries separated by a heavily fortified frontier.

North Korea says it will resume propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts along its border with South Korea, escalating a dispute over military fortification work and recent land mine explosions. Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and a senior spokesperson on relations with Seoul and Washington, announced the plan after visiting frontline areas. In a follow-up statement, she said new countermeasures would be placed on alert and the loudspeakers would be ready within days, with broadcasts expected along the entire border by the end of October. North Korea has been reinforcing the border with mines, barbed-wire fences, anti-tank barriers and other defenses. Kim described the work as supporting her brother’s policy of permanently severing ties with South Korea, which he has declared a hostile adversary. She warned that South Korean warning shots could prompt retaliation if they cause harm to North Korean territory or personnel. A North Korean military official also accused Seoul of making false claims and threatened an overwhelming response to provocations. South Korea says North Korean soldiers have crossed the military demarcation line repeatedly while working on the fortifications, and that its forces have responded with warning shots and broadcasts. Seoul formally blamed North Korean-planted mines for Sept. 21 explosions that injured three South Korean soldiers, urging Pyongyang to apologize and remove remaining mines. North Korea denied responsibility and rejected Seoul’s account of border crossings. South Korea’s defense ministry said it would consider proportionate measures, while the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman called the threats intolerable and directed the military to respond firmly to possible provocations. The two Koreas have used loudspeaker broadcasts as a form of psychological warfare during periods of tension. South Korea’s government halted its broadcasts after President Lee Jae Myung took office, seeking improved relations; North Korea later stopped its own broadcasts. The latest announcement comes amid a broader diplomatic stalemate between North Korea and the United States.

North Korea says it is preparing to resume propaganda broadcasts along the entire border with South Korea, with loudspeakers potentially operating within days. The warning was issued by Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, after she inspected border fortifications. Her latest statement, carried by state media on Thursday, followed an announcement a day earlier that the broadcasts would resume sometime in October. Both Koreas have used large border loudspeakers for propaganda. North Korea has broadcast unsettling animal-like sounds, while South Korea has used K-pop and news critical of Pyongyang. A resumption would be the first exchange of loudspeaker broadcasts in 16 months. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung halted the South’s broadcasts shortly after taking office in June 2025, and the military dismantled the speakers that August. Seoul’s defence ministry said it would respond proportionally if the North restarted its broadcasts, though it had made no decision. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff had observed routine maintenance of North Korean loudspeakers. Relations have worsened since a landmine explosion south of the military demarcation line injured three South Korean soldiers in September. Seoul and the UN Command, which oversees the 1953 armistice, attributed the mine to North Korea and called it an armistice violation. Pyongyang denied responsibility and described the incident as a “self-staged farce.” The dispute is unfolding alongside North Korea’s broader border fortification campaign. Since Kim Jong-un described the two Koreas as “two states hostile to each other” in December 2023, North Korea has laid mines, installed barbed wire and built anti-tank barriers. Kim Yo-jong said the border had been transformed into a more complete fortress and quoted her brother as saying it should remain a permanent line that must never be crossed. Seoul says North Korean troops have repeatedly crossed the demarcation line during construction, prompting South Korean warning broadcasts and shots. North Korea has condemned those responses as provocations.