What Are The South Korean Loudspeaker Broadcasts Saying To North Koreans?
How is South Korea reacting to North Korea’s surprise trash balloons crash landing across the borders?
South Korea Receives Over 40 Trash Balloons Overnight From North Korea…Again
With K-Pop’s top hits and award-winning K-Dramas, of course.
According to AP, the South Korean military installed the loudspeakers near the western section of the fortified border and started blasting propaganda broadcasts on July 18, 2024 (KST).
South Korea said Friday it has restarted blasting propaganda broadcasts into North Korea to retaliate against the North’s latest round of trash-carrying balloon launches, a resumption of Cold War-style tactics that are raising animosities between the rivals.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it used front-line loudspeakers to blare anti-Pyongyang broadcasts over the border between Thursday evening and Friday morning. It said the South Korean military turned on loudspeakers again later Friday as it found out the North was preparing to fly more balloons.
— AP News
So what exactly do these broadcasts say to the North Koreans?
Channel A news reported that the loudspeakers are now blasting “regular” broadcasts, from dawn to late night, talking about K-Dramas, K-Pop, and South Korean slang.
Some parts of the broadcasts, said to be audible even within Seoul, can be heard in the news clip:
- “It must be difficult doing all that unappreciated work on a minefield.” (Message)
- “I watched Crash Landing On You, and Captain Ri Jeong Hyeok became my ‘bias.’ Hyun Bin oppa is so charming and ‘dope,’ you know.” (South Korean Slang)
- “Now playing AKMU‘s ‘Last Goodbye.'” (“Banned” K-Pop)
SBS also reported on what could be heard from the radio station 103.5 FM in South Korea:
- “Hello, North Korean compatriots. You’re now listening to the ‘Voice of Freedom’ broadcast.” (Broadcast Greeting)
- “Multiple North Korean diplomats are defecting from North Korea. These diplomats felt shame and disgrace at the illogical, abnormal, and unethical acts in North Korea and have sought refuge in the South Korean freedom…” (North Korean Defector Updates)
In KBS‘s coverage, the broadcast sharing BTS Jin‘s recent trip to the Louvre as the torchbearer can be heard, too:
- “The global media paid attention to BTS member Jin’s torch relay for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics…” (K-Culture News)
According to the news reports, the South Korean military plans to conduct the loudspeaker broadcasts daily from 6 AM to 10 PM for the time being. The reports also noted, should North Korean provocations continue, the number of loudspeakers currently operating at fewer than 10 locations will gradually increase.
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