SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s military reported on Saturday that North Korea has started to remove some of its loudspeakers from the inter-Korean border. This action comes just days after South Korea dismantled its own loudspeakers, which were used for anti-North Korean propaganda broadcasts, as part of efforts to reduce tensions between the two nations.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea did not specify the locations from which North Korea is removing the speakers. They also noted that it remains unclear whether all of the loudspeakers will be taken down. Recently, residents near the border in South Korea have expressed frustration over the sounds emitted from North Korean speakers, which included howling animals and pounding gongs, seen as a retaliatory measure against South Korean broadcasts.

In June, North Korea ceased its broadcasts after South Korea's new liberal president, Lee Jae Myung, halted the South's propaganda efforts. This marked the first significant step by Lee's administration to ease the long-standing tensions between the two countries. South Korea began removing its loudspeakers from border areas on Monday, but officials did not clarify how these speakers would be stored or if they could be quickly redeployed if tensions escalated again.

North Korea, led by Kim Jong Un, is known for its sensitivity to external criticism. The regime has not confirmed the removal of its loudspeakers. Under the previous conservative government in South Korea, daily loudspeaker broadcasts resumed in June of last year after a long hiatus. This was in response to North Korea sending balloons filled with trash into South Korean territory. The broadcasts included propaganda messages and popular K-pop songs, aimed at undermining Kim's efforts to eliminate South Korean cultural influence.

The ongoing psychological warfare has intensified tensions, particularly in light of North Korea's advancing nuclear program and South Korea's increasing military cooperation with the United States and Japan. President Lee, who took office in June after winning an early election, aims to improve relations with North Korea, which had soured under the previous administration.

However, Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, rejected overtures from Lee's government in late July. She criticized Seoul's reliance on its alliance with the United States, claiming it was no different from the previous conservative administration. Additionally, she dismissed the Trump administration's attempts to resume diplomatic talks regarding North Korea's denuclearization, indicating that Pyongyang is currently more focused on strengthening ties with Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Tensions between North and South Korea may rise again later this month, as South Korea and the United States prepare for their annual large-scale military exercises, set to begin on August 18. North Korea typically views these joint drills as rehearsals for invasion and often responds with military demonstrations and weapons tests.