In short
- Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said on Thursday, 22 October, that propaganda loudspeakers aimed at South Korea would be ready to restart within days along the entire border, according to the state news agency KCNA.
- South Korean president Lee Jae Myung suspended broadcasts from the southern side in June 2025 and the military dismantled the speakers that August; a resumption would be the first loudspeaker exchange across the border in 16 months.
- A landmine blast south of the military demarcation line in September injured three South Korean soldiers, two of them seriously, and Seoul and the UN command called it a North Korean anti-personnel mine and an armistice violation.
- North Korea has laid mines, strung barbed wire and erected anti-tank barriers along the border since Kim Jong-un declared the two Koreas “two states hostile to each other” in December 2023.
- The military demarcation line dividing the two Koreas runs 250km.
Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said on Thursday that propaganda loudspeakers aimed at South Korea would be ready to restart within days along the entire border, according to the state news agency KCNA. The statement follows her earlier warning that the broadcasts would be running along the whole border from some time in October.
What did Kim Yo-jong say about the loudspeakers?
Kim Yo-jong said the equipment would be ready to restart within days along the full length of the border. A day before, she had said the loudspeakers would be in operation along the whole border from some time in October. If the broadcasts resume, they would be the first loudspeaker exchange across the border in 16 months.
How have the two Koreas used border loudspeakers?
Both North and South Korea have historically used giant loudspeakers to broadcast propaganda across the border. In recent years North Korea has played animal-like howls, while South Korea has opted for K-pop music and news criticising Pyongyang.
What has South Korea said?
At a briefing on Thursday, a defence ministry spokesperson in Seoul said that if North Korea went ahead, “naturally there would have to be a proportional measure”, but made clear that no decision had been made. The joint chiefs of staff said routine maintenance of the North’s loudspeakers had been observed before Kim Yo-jong’s statements.
South Korean president Lee Jae Myung suspended broadcasts from the southern side days into his presidency in June 2025 to ease tensions with Pyongyang, and the military dismantled the speakers that August.
What has raised tensions between the Koreas?
Tensions between the two Koreas have risen since September, when a landmine blast south of the military demarcation line injured three South Korean soldiers, two of them seriously. Seoul and the UN command, which oversees the 1953 armistice that halted but did not end the Korean war, concluded that it was a North Korean anti-personnel mine and an armistice violation. Pyongyang denied responsibility and called the incident a “self-staged farce”.
How is North Korea fortifying the border?
Since Kim Jong-un declared in December 2023 that the two Koreas were “two states hostile to each other”, North Korea has laid mines, strung barbed wire and erected anti-tank barriers along the border. On Wednesday, Kim Yo-jong inspected several fortification points along the border with Pak Jong-chon, a marshal and adviser to Pyongyang’s defence ministry. She said the border had been “clearly blocked and turned into a fortress more thoroughly”, adding that Kim Jong-un had told her it “should be a permanent line never to be crossed”.
Seoul says North Korean troops have repeatedly crossed the military demarcation line, the 250km line dividing the two countries, during the construction work, prompting South Korean soldiers to issue warnings over loudspeakers and fire warning shots. North Korea has called the warning shots and broadcasts provocations by “armed rogues”.
Frequently asked questions
When could North Korea restart its border loudspeakers?
Kim Yo-jong said on Thursday, 22 October, that the loudspeakers would be ready to restart within days along the entire border, after saying a day earlier that they would operate along the whole frontier from some time in October.
When did South Korea stop its own border broadcasts?
South Korean president Lee Jae Myung suspended broadcasts from the southern side in June 2025, days into his presidency, and the military dismantled the speakers that August.
Why have tensions risen between North and South Korea?
Tensions rose after a landmine blast south of the military demarcation line in September injured three South Korean soldiers. Seoul and the UN command called it a North Korean anti-personnel mine and an armistice violation, which Pyongyang denied.
What has South Korea said it would do if the broadcasts resume?
A South Korean defence ministry spokesperson said that if North Korea went ahead, “naturally there would have to be a proportional measure”, while making clear no decision had been taken.
With reporting from The Guardian.
Stock image, not from the events described. Globe World — Jo%E3o%20Silas / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)