The Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS) has reaffirmed that whether or not it suspends loudspeaker broadcasts near the inter-Korean border depends on North Korea’s actions. 

JCS spokesperson Lee Sung-joon made the statement during a briefing on Monday when asked if Seoul will consider suspending the broadcasts, since the North has not sent any trash balloons for over half a year. 

A year ago on June 9, South Korea restarted the propaganda broadcasts after six years, sending them out via loudspeakers along the border in response to the trash balloons from the North. 

Lee said the military made that decision last June after taking the security situation into account, adding that the military is currently conducting the loudspeaker broadcasts in a flexible manner in line with strategic and operational conditions. 

Lee added that any decision to suspend the broadcasts will require a comprehensive review that takes security conditions into consideration. 

During his presidential campaign, President Lee Jae-myung pledged to restore inter-Korean communication channels and halt the distribution of anti-Pyongyang leaflets and loudspeaker broadcasts to prevent accidental clashes between the two Koreas.