South Korea mutes border propaganda to ease tensions with North

A North Korean military guard post, left, and loudspeaker are seen from Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea (Ahn Young-joon/AP)

South Korea’s military said it had begun removing loudspeakers along its border with rival North Korea in a move aimed at reducing tensions.

The speakers had previously been used to blast anti-North Korean propaganda across the border, but the South’s new liberal government halted the broadcasts in June in a conciliatory gesture as it looks to rebuild trust and revive dialogue with Pyongyang, which has largely cut off cooperation with the South in recent years.