Kim Yo Jong Denounces Reports as “Fabrication”
Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korea’s leader, strongly refuted South Korea’s claims that the North began dismantling its loudspeakers along the inter-Korean border. She dismissed the reports as “unfounded unilateral supposition” and a misdirection from Seoul. “We have never removed loudspeakers installed on the border area and are not willing to remove them,” she stated, firmly rejecting any notion that Pyongyang was reciprocating its southern counterpart’s conciliatory move.
Seoul Says the North “Stopped Some Broadcasts”
South Korea’s military recently detected what it believed to be removal of some North Korean loudspeaker units along the heavily-fortified border. The move came days after President Lee Jae‑Myung halted the South’s own propaganda broadcasts and began removing its speakers as a sign of goodwill. Seoul had viewed the North’s actions as a reciprocal step and suggested they might open pathways for resumed dialogue.
Visual Evidence Contradicts Seoul’s Claim
Despite the Southern military’s assertions, journalists from the Associated Press and other outlets continued to spot intact loudspeakers on the North’s side as of the latest border observations. Kim Yo Jong’s denial, paired with this visible presence, amplifies doubts about Seoul’s claims and hints at a possible misinterpretation—or deliberate miscommunication—by the South.
North Korea Unmoved by Outreach, Citing Military Drills
Kim Yo Jong reiterated that North Korea has no intention of engaging in talks with South Korea or the U.S. She cited upcoming joint military exercises between Seoul and Washington as evidence that hostility remains intact. She characterized South Korea’s overtures as naive and the removal claims as political posturing.
Ongoing Standoff Despite Symbolic Gestures
While President Lee has taken tangible steps—halting propaganda broadcasts, removing border speakers, and discouraging activist-led leaflet drops—to de-escalate tensions, North Korea remains unmoved. Its denial of the loudspeaker removal underscores a continued hardline position and suggests that symbolic gestures alone may be insufficient to thaw the decades-long stalemate.
The dispute over who removed—or didn’t remove—the border loudspeakers touches on much more than audio equipment. It reflects the fragile state of inter-Korean relations, where every move is scrutinized and interpreted as either groundwork for peace or proof of entrenched hostility.
