South Korea’s military began dismantling anti-North Korea loudspeakers installed along the inter-Korean border on August 4, marking a significant step back from psychological warfare tactics aimed at the North. This follows the suspension of loudspeaker broadcasts in June and is seen as a gesture toward improving inter-Korean relations. Attention now turns to whether North Korea will reciprocate by removing its own loudspeakers.

The Ministry of National Defense said through a press briefing that it had begun removing loudspeaker equipment. Around 20 fixed loudspeakers deployed along the front lines are targeted for dismantlement, which the military expects will take about two to three days.

This move reflects the South Korean government’s intention to build mutual trust by completely halting hostile activities. It also takes into account the fact that North Korea has refrained from resuming provocative actions such as loudspeaker broadcasts and the launching of trash-filled balloons. The ministry said, “We are implementing practical measures to ease tensions between the two Koreas, within the bounds that do not affect military readiness.”

Back on June 11, the South Korean military preemptively suspended its loudspeaker broadcasts. North Korea followed suit the next day by halting its own broadcasts. At that time, South Korea also withdrew about 10 mobile loudspeaker units. Since then, the Ministry of Defense had been discussing the possible removal of fixed loudspeakers with other relevant government agencies as a follow-up measure.

The dismantling is also seen as a message that the current Lee Jae-myung administration’s North Korea policy is a departure from the hardline stance of the previous Yoon Suk-yeol government. Earlier, the current administration expressed strong regret over civic groups sending anti-North leaflets across the border and vowed to implement preventive measures.

Under the Yoon administration, South Korea resumed loudspeaker broadcasts toward the North in June of last year after a six-year hiatus and effectively tolerated anti-North leaflet campaigns, both of which are psychological warfare tactics known to provoke strong reactions from North Korea.

The latest removal of loudspeakers was done without prior consultation with North Korea. Whether Pyongyang will respond by dismantling its own devices remains to be seen. After South Korea’s National Intelligence Service stopped its decades-old anti-North Korea radio broadcasts late last month, North Korea also ceased its radio jamming operations. However, there are no signs yet that the North is dismantling its loudspeakers, which are believed to be more numerous and mostly fixed installations.

The South Korean government’s suspension of loudspeaker broadcasts and other psychological warfare efforts is interpreted as a partial restoration of the inter-Korean military agreement signed on September 19, 2018. Although the agreement’s legal force has not been formally reinstated through a Cabinet decision, officials say these actions align with the agreement’s core principle of “banning all hostile acts.” The loudspeaker broadcasts were resumed in June of last year after the military pact was declared effectively suspended.

The upcoming South Korea-U.S. joint military exercise, Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS), scheduled for mid-August, is expected to be a key turning point in inter-Korean relations. Some reports suggest that parts of the field training exercises (FTX) planned for the UFS period may be postponed until September. While the official reason is the record-breaking heatwave, observers believe the delay may be intended to send a conciliatory signal to Pyongyang.

Im Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies, said, “If North Korea refrains from launching ballistic missiles during the UFS period, it can be seen as a positive sign. However, it will take considerable time for the North to restore the channels it has severed with the South.”

Meanwhile, members of the National Assembly’s National Defense Committee from the opposition People Power Party criticized the move, calling it “a self-destructive act that could threaten national security.”