Overview

• Kim Yo-jong told KCNA on Aug. 13 that North Korea has never removed border loudspeakers and plans to enshrine its refusal to engage in talks in its constitution
• South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff say they detected two North Korean speakers removed on Aug. 9, one of which was quickly reinstalled, and remain vigilant along the DMZ
• Seoul dismantled 24 of its frontline propaganda speakers on Aug. 4–5 as a confidence-building measure under President Lee Jae-myung’s outreach policy
• Pyongyang criticized the partial postponement of the Ulchi Freedom Shield drills as futile and cited U.S.-ROK exercises as proof of hostile intent toward the DPRK
• South Korea’s Unification Ministry affirmed its commitment to normalizing ties despite Pyongyang’s rebuff, while analysts caution that limited gestures may not translate into substantive change