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North Korea hates the South’s propaganda loudspeakers. But how effective are they, really?
- The South’s military claims the speakers can blare pop songs and political messages as far as 10km. Doubtful, defectors and experts say
Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
The loudspeakers deployed by South Korea to wage psychological warfare against North Korea have faced audits and legal battles claiming they are too quiet, raising questions over how far into the reclusive North their propaganda messages can blast.
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South Korea resumed loudspeaker broadcasts directed at North Korea on June 9 for the first time since a now-defunct inter-Korean agreement banned them in 2018.
The current speakers were among 40 systems bought in 2016 after the two Koreas exchanged artillery fire in a 2015 dispute over the broadcasts.
The military says the systems were designed to blare pop music and political messages as far as 10km (6.21 miles), enough to reach the city of Kaesong and its nearly 200,000 residents.
But audits released at the time showed the new speakers did not meet those standards and were not as powerful as the military had called for.
02:43
North Korean poop balloons and loudspeaker campaigns: how did the propaganda war start?
North Korean poop balloons and loudspeaker campaigns: how did the propaganda war start?
According to former navy officer Kim Young-su, although the speakers passed two out of three initial tests in 2016, the trials took place in the morning or at night, when sound travels furthest.
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