Mick Hartley

So, with the sinking of the Cheonan looking increasingly like a North Korean attack, how is South Korea proposing to respond? Very loudly:

The South Korean military authorities are examining the option of resuming psychological warfare along the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), which has been suspended for more than five years.

An anonymous military official revealed on Monday, “If North Korean involvement in the Cheonan incident is confirmed, as a military measure we are examining the resumption of loudspeaker broadcasts across the MDL. Right now, we are checking out the executive situation on that.”

The move is reportedly being considered on the instructions of Minister of National Defense Kim Tae Young. Kim apparently commanded the preparation of a report into the cost and amount of time it would take to resume the psychological warfare.

If the administration approves it, it can begin within two or three weeks. It would certainly be unpopular with the Kim Jong Il regime, which is likely to respond to it aggressively.

Jeon Sung Hoon, a researcher with the Korea Institute for National Unification, told The Daily NK, “If South Korea resumes the broadcasts, North Korea will loudly oppose it.”

Not merely a punishment, it may also be effective, as one defector who was a soldier in the MDL area explained. “The North Korean military authorities must express their discomfort,” he told The Daily NK, “North Korean soldiers and residents tend to be influenced a lot by the South’s loudspeaker broadcasts. The authorities are quite reluctant to leave residents exposed to them.”

He explained, “When there is no foreign information, that is one interesting way to get foreign stories, so soldiers are inclined to enjoy it during their dull military lives.”

Regarding the North’s near certain criticism, Jeon pointed out, “The one who violated all the official and unofficial agreements first was North Korea, so it won’t be a problem.”

In military talks between North and South in July, 2004, the two sides agreed to suspend loudspeaker broadcasts. Using the speakers at maximum power, the broadcasts can reach approximately 24 kilometers at night and 10 kilometers during daytime.

Update: plus there'll be some very angry tigers.