North Korea seen reinstalling border loudspeakers

North Korea seen reinstalling border loudspeakers

Loudspeakers blaring propaganda across the border were seen reinstalled in North Korea on Tuesday (June 23) after such systems were taken down when the two Koreas signed an accord in 2018 to cease "all hostile acts".

A spokeswoman at Seoul's defence ministry declined to confirm North Korea's moves but reiterated at a regular briefing that Pyongyang would "have to pay for the consequences" if it continues to defy joint efforts to foster peace.

Tension between the two Koreas has risen in recent weeks after the North blew up a joint liaison office on its side of the border, declared an end to dialogue and threatened military action to show its displeasure against defectors and South Korea for not stopping them from sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets.

A small group of South Korean activists held a rally in the inter-Korean border area on Tuesday to urge the government take actions to stop defectors sending propaganda leaflets across the border.