North Korea has announced its intention to resume anti-South Korea propaganda broadcasts along the heavily fortified inter-Korean border, threatening to further inflame regional stability as bilateral relations deteriorate to historic lows.
Kim Yo Jong, a senior North Korean official and the influential sister of leader Kim Jong Un, stated on Wednesday that Pyongyang will deploy loudspeakers along the entire length of the frontier. The announcement followed her inspection tour of frontline military fortifications alongside top-ranking defense officials.
Kim purportedly warned the Seoul regime of 'the most horrible and distressing situation' should South Korea persist in what Pyongyang describes as hostile interference in its internal affairs. In a subsequent statement on Thursday, she added that North Korea would place unspecified 'new counter means' on alert along the border, with loudspeakers slated to stand by within days.
Tensions on the peninsula have spiked sharply following a landmine explosion last month inside the Demilitarized Zone that wounded three South Korean soldiers. The Seoul regime accused North Korean forces of deliberately planting mines during ongoing fortification work, an allegation that Pyongyang dismissed as a complete fabrication by the South.
In response to the escalating rhetoric, South Korea's Ministry of National Defence urged Pyongyang to engage in discussions aimed at easing border tensions and averting accidental military clashes. However, prospects for dialogue remain dim, as North Korea previously severed inter-Korean military hotlines after officially designating the South as its primary foe.
Source: www.aljazeera.com