S. Korea urges NK to stop border escalation acts amid Pyongyang's loudspeaker threat

South Korea’s unification ministry on Thursday urged North Korea to stop actions that could raise the risk of clashes along the border after Kim Yo-jong threatened to resume loudspeaker broadcasts against Seoul within days. The ministry called for the two Koreas to reconcile their positions on the Military Demarcation Line and establish a communication system for its peaceful management. North Korea’s border fortification work has repeatedly brought its troops across the line, prompting South Korean warning broadcasts and shots.

The ministry said the two Koreas operated loudspeakers targeting each other until June 2025, causing what it called unbearable suffering for people on both sides of the border.

North Korea has stepped up border fortification work since April 2024, after Kim Jong-un characterized inter-Korean ties as relations between two hostile states.

Seoul proposed military talks to clarify the Military Demarcation Line, but Pyongyang has yet to respond.

The South Korean military and the U.N. Command concluded that antipersonnel mines planted by North Korea south of the Military Demarcation Line caused explosions in the Demilitarized Zone that injured three South Korean soldiers last month; Pyongyang has denied responsibility.

Published Oct 22, 2026 11:45 am KST

Foreign tourists look toward the North Korean side of the Imjin River from the Odusan Unification Observatory in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. Yonhap

The unification ministry on Thursday called on North Korea to immediately stop acts that could increase the risk of clashes with South Korea along the border after the North warned of resuming loudspeaker broadcasts against Seoul.

The ministry issued the statement after Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, threatened to resume propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts targeting South Korea within days, and warned of a "horrible and distressing situation" amid tensions over Pyongyang's ongoing border fortification work.

"Actions that violate the Armistice Agreement, and heighten tensions and the risk of clashes along the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) must be stopped immediately," the ministry said, referring to the agreement that halted the 1950-53 Korean War.

It also warned against repeating past mistakes, noting that the two Koreas had operated loudspeakers targeting each other until June 2025, causing "unbearable suffering" for people on both sides of the border.

"The fundamental solution to preventing tensions and the risk of clashes between the two Koreas is to reconcile their positions on the MDL and establish a communication system for its peaceful management as soon as possible," the ministry said.

It also urged Pyongyang to stop threatening South Korea and work toward an effective resolution of the issues.

North Korea has stepped up efforts to fortify its border with South Korea since April 2024, following leader Kim's characterization of inter-Korean ties as relations between "two states hostile to each other."

North Korea's border fortification work has repeatedly brought North Korean troops across the MDL, prompting South Korean forces to issue warning broadcasts and fire warning shots to make them withdraw. Seoul has described the measures as defensive actions aimed at preventing border violations.

South Korean authorities believe North Korea may be using its own interpretation of the MDL. Seoul proposed military talks to clarify the MDL and prevent accidental clashes near the border, but Pyongyang has yet to respond.

North Korea has repeatedly denied responsibility for land mine explosions inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) last month that injured three South Korean soldiers.

The South Korean military and the U.N. Command concluded that the blasts were caused by North Korean antipersonnel mines planted south of the MDL in violation of the Armistice Agreement.

韩国统一部周四敦促朝鲜停止可能加剧边境冲突风险的行动。此前，朝鲜领导人金与正威胁称，将在数日内恢复对首尔的扩音器广播。统一部呼吁朝韩双方就军事分界线问题达成和解，并建立和平管控该分界线的沟通机制。朝鲜的边境防御工事建设已多次导致其军队越过分界线，引发韩国发出警告广播和鸣枪示警。

该部表示，朝韩两国一直使用扩音器互相喊话，直到2025年6月，给边境两侧的人民造成了难以忍受的痛苦。

自 2024 年 4 月金正恩将朝韩关系定性为两个敌对国家之间的关系以来，朝鲜加强了边境防御工作。

首尔提议举行军事会谈以明确军事分界线，但平壤尚未作出回应。

韩国军方和联合国军司令部得出结论，朝鲜在军事分界线以南埋设的杀伤人员地雷导致非军事区发生爆炸，造成上个月三名韩国士兵受伤；平壤否认对此负责。

发布于2026年10月22日上午11:45（韩国标准时间）

周二，外国游客在京畿道坡州市五头山统一展望台眺望临津江朝鲜一侧。（韩联社）

韩国统一部周四呼吁朝鲜立即停止可能增加与韩国在边境发生冲突风险的行为，此前朝鲜警告称将恢复对首尔的扩音器广播。

在朝鲜领导人金正恩的妹妹、实力强大的金与正威胁将在几天内恢复针对韩国的宣传广播，并警告称，由于平壤正在进行的边境防御工程，局势紧张，将出现“可怕和令人不安的局面”之后，该部发表了这份声明。

“必须立即停止违反停战协定、加剧军事分界线（MDL）沿线紧张局势和冲突风险的行为，”该部表示，指的是结束1950-53年朝鲜战争的协定。

报告还警告不要重蹈覆辙，指出朝韩两国曾使用扩音器互相喊话，直到 2025 年 6 月，给边境两侧的人民造成了“难以忍受的痛苦”。

该部表示：“防止朝韩关系紧张和冲突风险的根本解决办法是尽快协调双方在军事分界线上的立场，并建立和平管控该分界线的沟通机制。”

声明还敦促平壤停止威胁韩国，并努力寻求有效解决问题。

自 2024 年 4 月以来，朝鲜加大了加强与韩国边境防御的力度，此前朝鲜领导人金正恩将朝韩关系描述为“两个相互敌对的国家”之间的关系。

朝鲜的边境防御工事建设屡次导致朝鲜军队越过军事分界线，迫使韩国军队发出警告广播并鸣枪示警以促使其撤离。首尔方面称这些措施是旨在防止越界行为的防御性行动。

韩国当局认为朝鲜可能对《军事界限》有自己的解读。首尔方面提议举行军事会谈，以澄清《军事界限》并防止边境附近发生意外冲突，但平壤方面尚未作出回应。

朝鲜一再否认对上个月在非军事区（DMZ）内发生的导致三名韩国士兵受伤的地雷爆炸事件负责。

韩国军方和联合国军司令部得出结论，爆炸是由朝鲜违反停战协定，在军事分界线以南埋设的杀伤人员地雷造成的。