Unification Minister Chung Dong-young Takes a Negative Stance on Resuming Loudspeaker Broadcasts to North Korea

Unification Minister Chung Dongyoung has expressed a negative stance on the resumption of loudspeaker broadcasts toward North Korea, which was raised after three of our soldiers were injured by a North Korean landmine explosion. Minister Chung said on his way to work on the 2nd, “Stoking hatred and hostility is not politics,” and described the resumption as “an irresponsible and extremely dangerous act.” Minister Chung emphasized that dialogue and communication are necessary to reduce military tensions between South and North Korea. In particular, he noted that the standards for the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) and the Armistice Line differ, and proposed that related issues need to be discussed together to prevent recurrence. The government is being discussed as likely to place weight on a diplomatic response to this matter. North Korea continues to criticize the issue and deny the South’s claims, so discussions over the future response and demands for an apology are expected to continue.