Kim Yo Jong, a senior North Korean Workers' Party official, said Pyongyang is considering deploying additional tactical strike assets near its southern border and restarting loudspeaker broadcasts directed at South Korea. Her statement, published through the Korean Central News Agency, described conditions near the military demarcation line as highly unstable and accused the South Korean military of escalating tensions.
Kim said South Korean forces conducted 2,870 loudspeaker warning broadcasts and fired warning shots on 201 occasions between August 1 and October 17. She also claimed that 998 broadcasts and 91 warning-shot incidents occurred during the first 17 days of October. The figures were presented by North Korea and were not independently substantiated in the available reports.
- Period cited
- August 1 through October 17
- Warning broadcasts claimed
- 2,870
- Warning-shot incidents claimed
- 201
- Measures under review
- Tactical reinforcement and renewed loudspeaker broadcasts
The statement identified posts in areas overseen by South Korea's 2nd and 3rd Army Corps as frequent sources of warning broadcasts. It also singled out the Demilitarized Zone sector associated with the 21st Infantry Division as a location where warning shots had been fired. Kim linked the reported activity to responses against crossings of the military demarcation line and rejected South Korean accounts surrounding a mine explosion as fabricated.
Pyongyang outlines possible border measures
Kim said North Korea was reviewing what she called preemptive and suppressive steps, including reinforcing tactical strike capabilities across areas near the southern border. She added that authorities were considering other measures deemed necessary, but did not provide a timetable, deployment details or confirmation that the proposals had been approved.
A resumption of North Korean loudspeaker broadcasts could intensify the cycle of warnings and countermeasures along the border. Soldiers stationed near the Demilitarized Zone would face the most direct operational effects, while nearby communities could experience increased noise and anxiety if broadcasts resume. The statement itself announced a review rather than an implemented policy, leaving the immediate impact uncertain.
Kim also criticized the administration of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, arguing that its posture toward North Korea exceeded the hostility of the previous conservative government despite its public emphasis on reconciliation and peace. Attention now turns to whether North Korea moves tactical assets closer to the border, restarts loudspeaker operations or announces additional military steps.