The North’s state media has yet to mention Kim’s birthday or South Korea’s loudspeaker campaign.
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The broadcasts began to blare sharp criticism of the Kim regime and its human rights abuses, as well as a narrative of South Korea’s achievements and even K-pop songs, from 11 locations along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
And in response to a question from NBC News, Kerry called the idea that he hasn’t paid enough attention to North Korea following the isolated country’s most recent nuclear test “entirely inaccurate” and “without foundation”.
North Korea’s claimed successful test of a hydrogen bomb earlier this week has caused heightened tensions between the two countries.
In 2010, South Korea restarted radio broadcasts and restored loudspeakers as part of retaliatory measures after a warship sinking blamed on North Korea that killed 46 South Korean sailors.
Kerry rejected a reporter’s suggestion that the Obama administration had neglected the North Korean threat as it focused on curbing Iran’s nuclear program.
But the popularity of K-Pop north of the border could be on the up now.
“It seems that North Korea is sending loudspeaker broadcasts in order to interrupt our military’s broadcasts”, the official said on the condition of anonymity.
China has hosted six-nation talks aimed at ending North Korea’s nuclear ambitions since the multilateral framework was launched in 2003.
The South Korean military, which has maintained a full defense posture, will sternly retaliate against any possible DPRK provocations, he added.
At a U.N. Security Council emergency session, diplomats pledged to swiftly pursue new sanctions against North Korea, saying its test was a “clear violation” of previous U.N. resolutions.
After North Korea last tested a nuclear device in 2013, Washington sent a pair of nuclear-capable B-2 stealth bombers on a sortie over South Korea in a show of force. The park’s operation won’t likely be affected much as the restriction will apply to clients, potential buyers and service providers from South Korea, rather than managers who commute to work with North Korean laborers. Most of the North’s 24 million people are only allowed to watch state TV and listen to radio stations that broadcast programs full of praise of Kim and criticism of South Korea and the U.S. Analysts say this information control helps buttress Kim’s totalitarian rule, and that Pyongyang worries South Korean broadcasts could destabilize its political system.
On Thursday, Seoul’s Defence Ministry said military leaders had also discussed the deployment of U.S. “strategic assets” in the wake of the test.
The North’s claim of a successful test drew extreme skepticism overseas.
Some believe North Korea might have detonated a boosted fission bomb, a weapon considered halfway between an atomic bomb and an H-bomb.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, another presidential candidate, said in a statement that the nuclear test, if confirmed, “will be just the latest example of the failed Obama-Clinton foreign policy”, referring to Kerry’s predecessor and the current Democratic front-runner, Hillary Clinton.
“Any agreement between the two Koreas should be honored”, Jeong said. In a hydrogen bomb, a nuclear fission explosion sets off a fusion reaction responsible for a powerful blast and radioactivity.
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But Kerry did not elaborate further on what the USA government wants China to do next.
