Overview

• The South Korean military started dismantling about 20 loudspeakers along the Demilitarized Zone on August 4, with full removal expected by the end of the week.
• Lee Kyung-ho, spokesperson for the Defense Ministry, called the move a practical step that would not compromise military readiness.
• Ministry photos show soldiers in body armor unloading and disassembling speaker equipment at border sites.
• The removal follows Seoul’s June halt of anti-Pyongyang broadcasts, a pause that led North Korea to stop its disruptive noise transmissions the next day.
• North Korea has declined conditional talks despite the confidence-building measure, and the two Koreas remain technically at war without a formal peace treaty.