Inter-Korean loudspeaker war

In 1995 while working as officer at North Korean military, Kim Sung-min, currently head of Free North Korea Radio, was surprised to hear news coming over a loudspeaker from the South that the North was developing nuclear weapons in Yongbyon. He had never heard of such news before there in North Korea. He asked a subordinate who had lived in Yongbyon who said, “I’ve been hearing about that news for the past several years.” Kim then started to suspect North Korean regime. The South’s psychological warfare influenced other soldiers in the North. To North Korean soldiers who start ambush operations from early evening every day, South Korean broadcasting was a medium that delivered them songs and latest news until the dawn.

It is clear why North Korea revolted against South Korea’s mind games that resumed in 11 years. The North knows well its effect. When the broadcasting starts, the North interferes by turning on its loudspeaker on fear of any news of the Kim Il Sung family flowing out. Due to this reason, Pyongyang’s loudspeaker action is called “broadcasting for suppression.” To commanders in frontlines in the North, it is a priority to be always secured with oil to operate the generator to prepare blackout situations.

Following the summit agreement in June 2004, the South and North eliminated all propaganda means in the military demarcation line regions and suspended psychological warfare. Another agreement made was prevention of accidental crash in west coast. However, the North broke the promise of “No unfair actions in waters off west coast against other party’s submarines and private ships,” and committed sinking of Cheonan navy vessel by explosion. At this point, keeping the promise to suspend mind games would sound absurd itself. South Korean military installed loudspeakers in 11 places in forward area, but had not taken action until the North mine explosion provocation.

South Korea imposed sanctions to respond to North Korea’s provocations, including suspension of Mt. Geumkang travel in 2008, May 24 2010 sanctions against the North, and this time resumption of psychological warfare. If the North had not committed provocation, the South will have no reason to start such a mind game. The North should solve the problems it itself created. Tepid response won’t work in preventing the North from repeating provocations. People demanding for removal of May 24 2010 sanctions should think again because it can arouse false expectations for the North.