North Korea to resume border propaganda broadcasts along its southern border | DW News

North Korea’s Planned Propaganda Broadcasts

North Korea says it will reactivate loudspeakers broadcasting propaganda toward South Korea along the border by the end of the month. Kim Yo-jong, the North Korean leader’s sister, announced the move and threatened a forceful response to what Pyongyang calls South Korean provocations.

The broadcasts were halted last year during efforts to improve relations. Sydney Seiler, a North Korea specialist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a former U.S. envoy to six-party talks, described them as an old but politically useful tool. He said North Korea sees outside information as a threat to its control.

Seiler said the broadcasts’ return signals strained relations, but they are easily reversed and do not, by themselves, indicate a lasting shift.

Weapons Development and Financing

Seiler said North Korea’s expanding missile activity is part of a decades-long effort to build a credible nuclear weapons delivery capability. Although the country has refrained from testing intercontinental ballistic missiles recently, its weapons development continues. Analysts disagree about how much long-range capability North Korea may already have, he said, and Pyongyang is currently emphasizing other systems, including short-range missiles that could carry nuclear warheads.

On how North Korea finances its programs, Seiler cited a history of illicit revenue-raising, more recent cyber thefts, and growing cooperation with Russia. He said North Korea has supplied Russia with missiles, munitions, and manpower in return for money, technology, and other support. Seiler estimated the benefits of the relationship at around $20 billion.

International Context

Seiler said U.S. involvement in conflicts elsewhere may make Pyongyang feel emboldened, both because Washington could be distracted and because its resources may be stretched.

He also pointed to cooperation among China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. He described it as a loose, transactional alignment rather than a formal bloc, but said it may provide support that makes these governments more willing to challenge the existing international order.

Prospects for U.S.–North Korea Diplomacy

On the prospect of another meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un, Seiler said Trump appears to view diplomacy pragmatically, as a way to reduce the dangers posed by North Korea’s nuclear arsenal.

Seiler noted that the 2019 Hanoi summit did not produce serious negotiations over the full scope of North Korea’s weapons program. He added that sanctions and military pressure have also failed to significantly halt its growth.

Kim Yo-jong’s Role

Seiler described Kim Yo-jong as an important public voice in North Korea’s security-related diplomacy, but said her authority ultimately derives from her brother. Statements may be issued in her name while reflecting Kim Jong-un’s decisions.

Presenters and Contributors

• DW presenter: Not named in the subtitles
• Sydney Seiler: Senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies; interview contributor