Seoul urges North Korea to halt border escalation after Pyongyang's fresh loudspeaker broadcast threat

The Unification Ministry on Thursday called on North Korea to immediately stop acts that could increase the risk of clashes with South Korea along the border after the North warned of resuming loudspeaker broadcasts against Seoul.

The ministry issued the statement after Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, threatened to resume propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts targeting South Korea within days and warned of a "horrible and distressing situation" amid tensions over Pyongyang's ongoing border fortification work.

"Actions that violate the Armistice Agreement and heighten tensions and the risk of clashes along the military demarcation line (MDL) must be stopped immediately," the ministry said, referring to the agreement that halted the 1950-53 Korean War.

It also warned against repeating past mistakes, noting that the two Koreas had operated loudspeakers targeting each other until June 2025, causing "unbearable suffering" for people on both sides of the border.

"The fundamental solution to preventing tensions and the risk of clashes between the two Koreas is to reconcile their positions on the MDL and establish a communication system for its peaceful management as soon as possible," the ministry said.

It also urged Pyongyang to stop threatening South Korea and work toward an effective resolution of the issues.

North Korea has stepped up efforts to fortify its border with South Korea since April 2024, following leader Kim's characterization of inter-Korean ties as relations between "two states hostile to each other."

North Korea's border fortification work has repeatedly brought North Korean troops across the MDL, prompting South Korean forces to issue warning broadcasts and fire warning shots to make them withdraw. Seoul has described these measures as defensive actions to prevent border violations.

South Korean authorities believe North Korea may be using its own interpretation of the MDL. Seoul proposed military talks to clarify the MDL and prevent accidental clashes near the border, but Pyongyang has yet to respond.

North Korea has repeatedly denied responsibility for land mine explosions inside the demilitarized zone last month that injured three South Korean soldiers.

The South Korean military and the United Nations Command concluded that the blasts were caused by North Korean antipersonnel mines planted south of the MDL in violation of the Armistice Agreement.

Yonhap