South Korea resumes North Korea broadcasts over trash balloons

June 9 (UPI) -- South Korea's military has resumed loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts to undermine the regime of Supreme Leader Kim Jong-Un after North Korea sent around a thousand balloons filled with trash over the border.

The military conducted the broadcast Sunday afternoon, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement on social media.

"Whether our military will conduct additional loudspeaker broadcasts depends entirely on North Korea's behavior," the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in its statement. "We make it clear that North Korea bears full responsibility for this situation, and we strongly urge it to immediately stop its despicable behavior, including the release of filth balloons."

Earlier, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had conducted a live drill in preparation for the broadcast. It marked the first time since 2018 that the military has conducted such a drill, which includes moving and installing loudspeakers and mastering operating procedures.

The South Korean military said the drill and operation were made "to inform North Korean soldiers and residents about the reality of North Korea, South Korea's development, and K-culture." North Korea has yet to respond to South Korea's broadcast.

South Korea began the broadcasts in 1963 to target North Korean soldiers and civilians living near the Demilitarized Zone with Korean pop music, known as K-Pop, and news from outside North Korea.

The broadcasts were halted around 2004 and resumed in 2015 before they were halted again in 2018, when both sides agreed to dismantle their loudspeakers. In June 2020, North Korea was reported to have begun reinstalling its loudspeakers.

South Korea's decision came after its Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea had sent slurries of white balloons filled with trash and manure in response to South Korean activists floating balloons filled with leaflets and USB drives over the border.