In what could be a cautious step toward easing inter-Korean tensions, North Korea appears to have halted its border loudspeaker broadcasts on June 12, just a day after South Korea’s new president, Lee Jae-myung, ordered the suspension of similar propaganda transmissions aimed at the North.

The announcement came from South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, with spokesperson Colonel Lee Sung-Jun confirming that there were no regions along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) where North Korean broadcasts could be heard on June 11. “The broadcasts had still been audible until around 11 pm the previous night,” Col. Lee stated, “but so far today, there is no region where the noise broadcast has been heard.”

While North Korea has yet to confirm the move officially, anecdotal reports suggest the broadcasts stopped gradually. A local government official, speaking to NK News, said the transition began the night of June 11 when North Korea’s disruptive noise gave way to “calm and soothing” songs. “We’re not sure what genre the music was,” the official noted, “but residents described it as peaceful. And now, today, there’s no noise at all.”

The development marks a significant and sudden de-escalation in the psychological standoff that has played out along the heavily fortified border in recent months. Two cafes in Paju, a city close to the DMZ, confirmed to NK News that they heard no broadcasts from the North on June 11.

The move comes just days after Lee Jae-myung’s inauguration as South Korea’s president. Lee, a progressive politician and former Gyeonggi Province governor, won a snap........

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