South Korea Suspends Loudspeaker Broadcasts to Ease Border Tensions

In a bid to de-escalate rising tensions with North Korea, South Korea's military announced it has paused the loudspeaker broadcasts along the border. This olive branch comes just a month into President Lee Jae-myung's term, fulfilling his campaign pledge to foster dialogue with the North.

The decision comes as a gesture of goodwill after North Korea ceased provocations, according to Lee's spokesperson, Kang Yu-jung. "We now await a reciprocal response from the North," emphasized ruling party lawmaker Kim Byung-joo.

Local residents had voiced strong opposition to the broadcasts, citing severe noise. Originally resumed in retaliation to North Korean balloons carrying trash across the frontier, the broadcasts had been part of ongoing hostilities that trace back to the Korean War ceasefire in 1953.

(With inputs from agencies.)