Lee Jae-myung Calls for Reduced Hostility Toward North Korea, Halting Border Broadcasts and Focusing on Balloon Issues

Lee Min-bok, a resident living near the inter-Korean border, has maintained the practice of sending balloons to North Korea with criticisms of the government for years. However, since the inception of Lee Jae-myung's administration, he has been subjected to official scrutiny and has stopped this activity.
Lee Min-bok (phonetic) stated, "I merely want to quietly send up balloons, what's wrong with that? Is it going to anger North Korea? Absolutely not. I intend to continue until there is freedom of speech in North Korea; our government should be ashamed." Many others like Lee Min-bok have also been regularly sending balloons, which have been considered part of the psychological warfare between the two Koreas since the end of the Korean War.
In South Korea, such activities are primarily initiated by the civil sector, with balloons often carrying political pamphlets or content banned by the North Korean government, in hopes that North Korean citizens will see them and rise against the Kim regime. However, North Korea's authorities frequently take countermeasures, sometimes sending back balloons containing cigarette butts, trash, or even feces. In just the year 2024, North Korea sent approximately 3,000 balloons filled with garbage in 32 waves, often bypassing defenses and landing in significant areas like Incheon International Airport and the South Korean presidential office, causing disturbances.
Defector Park Sang-hak (phonetic) remarked on June 26, 2024, "What we send are truth, money, and love, while North Korea retaliates with balloons filled with trash. The South Korean government should actively respond to this behavior." Another psychological warfare method between the two Koreas is the use of loudspeakers. Pop music, political propaganda, and even horror movie noises have echoed across the border skies. Experts say these practices significantly affect the border residents' lives, potentially serving as retaliation for other military or political actions.
Professor Lee Soo-yong from the East Asia Media Arts Institute pointed out, "From the sound pattern, it seems this is not meant to mask noise but to inflict pain on South Korean citizens." Recently, with changes in inter-Korean relations, the South Korean government has also considered stopping these two practices multiple times. The administration of Moon Jae-in stressed a total ban on all hostile actions toward North Korea and attempted legislation to prevent citizens from releasing balloons, but this was ruled unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court for infringing upon freedom of speech. Although the government no longer prohibits it, it also does not encourage the practice.
Since Lee Jae-myung took office, South Korea's diplomatic approach has aimed to maintain relatively friendly relations with neighboring countries, advocating for the cessation of similar psychological warfare tactics. Recently, the loudspeakers on both sides of the border have gone silent, and there may be renewed regulation of balloon releases. President Lee Jae-myung stated, "We will start by breaking the vicious cycle of border loudspeakers, which has made it difficult for residents to sleep at night." The public's reaction to the government's shift in stance has been mixed, with some asserting that balloon launches are a matter of free speech that should not be interfered with, while others in border regions express relief at the newfound quietness, allowing them to focus on their lives and work.