South Korea has stopped its frequent propaganda broadcasts that it blares across the 38th Parallel border with North Korea on Monday, ahead of Friday’s historic summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the border truce village of Panmunjom.
This is the first time in over two years that South Korea has silenced its broadcasts which Reuters noted includes “a mix of news, Korean pop songs, and criticism of the North Korean regime.” North Korea reportedly broadcasts its own propaganda at the border.
“We hope this decision will lead both Koreas to stop mutual criticism and propaganda against each other and also contribute in creating peace and a new beginning,” South Korea’s defense ministry said, according to Reuters.
The gesture from South Korea reportedly arrived after North Korea said on Saturday that it would immediately suspend its nuclear and missile weapons testing, dismantle its nuclear test site and pursue economic growth and peace; the move was welcomed by President Donald Trump who is expected to meet with Kim in late May or early June.
“North Korea has agreed to suspend all Nuclear Tests and close up a major test site,” Trump tweeted Friday evening. “This is very good news for North Korea and the World – big progress! Look forward to our Summit.”
Reuters also reported that North Korea has agreed to allow South Korean media to broadcast part of Friday’s summit live in addition to allowing for reporters from the South who will be in the North’s part of the Joint Security Area at the border to write and report on the event.
The complete denuclearization of North Korea could usher in an end to the war between the two Koreas and to establish permanent peace.
Breitbart News reported:
A report in the South Korean newspaper Munhwa Ilbo published Tuesday indicated that Seoul was considering officially ending the Korean war, which currently stands at a technical stalemate as no peace treaty was ever signed. According to CNBC’s translation of the report, officials from both sides of the demarcation line are considering releasing a joint statement marking an official end to hostilities, an unnamed South Korean official told the newspaper.