South Korea has resumed its anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts across the border in retaliation for North Korea’s latest balloon launches carrying waste. This resumption of Cold War-era tactics marks a significant escalation in tensions between the two countries.



On July 19, South Korea announced that it had restarted loudspeaker broadcasts into North Korea after the North resumed its balloon campaigns carrying trash. The broadcasts were the first in about 40 days and were conducted from Thursday evening to Friday morning.

The content of these broadcasts has not been specified, but previous ones on June 9 included K-pop music, weather forecasts, news about Samsung, and criticism of North Korea’s missile program and restrictions on foreign media.

North Korea, highly sensitive to any external attempts to undermine its political system, could respond aggressively. In 2015, South Korea’s resumption of loudspeaker broadcasts led to North Korea firing artillery across the border, prompting a return of fire from the South. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties from that incident.

The North Korean balloons, part of a recent campaign, have been floated towards South Korea since late May. These balloons have carried various types of waste including paper, cloth scraps, cigarette butts, and manure. North Korea has claimed these actions are in response to South Korean activists sending political leaflets via their own balloons. No hazardous materials were reported.



In response to the balloon launches, South Korea had suspended a 2018 tension-reduction agreement with North Korea, briefly resuming propaganda broadcasts and live-fire military drills in border areas.

This week, Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, hinted at the possibility of further balloon launches or other countermeasures. She warned that South Korean actions could result in severe consequences, raising fears of potential physical provocations from the North.

South Korea's military has increased its preparedness for any potential provocations from North Korea, including possible attacks on South Korean balloons or the use of floating mines.

The situation is further complicated by North Korea's expanding ties with Russia, which may embolden its provocations. North Korea’s state media recently reported a meeting between Kim Jong Un and a Russian delegation, highlighting a strengthened alliance between the two countries. The recent agreement signed with Russia represents the most significant bilateral connection since the end of the Cold War.



The ongoing tensions and military activities between the Koreas reflect a broader geopolitical struggle, exacerbated by North Korea’s missile tests and the expansion of U.S.-South Korean military drills.