North Korea to boost troops, restart broadcasts along border with South Korea: Why does it use loudspeakers?

North Korea plans to resume loudspeaker broadcasts along its border with South Korea this month, as tensions between the two countries rise. Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, announced the move on Wednesday after warning that new North Korean troop units had taken up firing positions.

The announcement followed an inspection of border positions by Kim Yo Jong and senior military official Marshal Pak Jong Chon.

“Our tactical hunting teams are taking new positions, and within October, the loudspeakers for psychological warfare against the ROK will be in operation along the whole border,” Kim said, referring to South Korea by its official name.

North Korea's military leadership also stressed the deployment of new firepower units. Pak told troops to prepare firepower capable of striking fear into the enemy and warned that any provocation threatening the safety of North Korean personnel would trigger a strong military response.

Why North Korea uses loudspeakers along the border

Loudspeaker broadcasts have long been used by both Koreas as a tool of psychological warfare. The broadcasts can carry propaganda, news and music to influence people on the other side of the heavily fortified border.

In 2024, North Korea sent thousands of balloons carrying rubbish into South Korea, describing the move as retaliation for anti-North Korean propaganda balloons released by South Korean activists.

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Seoul later resumed loudspeaker broadcasts for the first time in six years, playing K-pop music and international news. North Korea responded by transmitting unusual sounds across the border, unsettling residents in South Korea. Pyongyang has also threatened artillery strikes against South Korean loudspeaker installations in the past.

Tensions rise over DMZ incident

Relations have deteriorated since South Korea blamed North Korea for an explosion inside the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), the heavily fortified area separating the two countries. Seoul said the blast was caused by landmines laid by the North, which rejected the accusation.

South Korea's military warned on Tuesday that it would respond to further North Korean provocations firmly. Pyongyang has also recently tested several weapons, including a precision-guided torpedo system and an intermediate-range hypersonic missile, both reportedly using artificial intelligence technology.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has pledged to pursue dialogue with the nuclear-armed North without preconditions, marking a shift from his predecessor's tougher approach. Last year, Seoul removed its border loudspeakers in what its defence ministry described as a practical step towards easing tensions.