South Korea Turns Off Loudspeaker Facing North Korea

South Korea on Monday stopped broadcasting propaganda via loudspeakers along the border with North Korea, ahead of top-level talks later this week.

The South has dozens of loudspeakers along the border area, which blast everything from K-pop music to critical news reports of the North.

The broadcasts can be heard by the North’s troops stationed along the border and civilians in the area.

Seoul said turning them off would help set the tone for Friday’s talks.

North Korea has its own system of speakers along the border, playing reports critical of Seoul and its allies.

It’s not yet known whether it will follow suit and silence them too.

The move aimed to “ease the military tension between the two Koreas and develop a peaceful summit atmosphere,” spokesman Choi Hoi-hyun told reporters.

“We hope this decision will lead both Koreas to stop mutual criticism and propaganda against each other and also contribute in creating peace and a new beginning.”