Loudspeaker Noise from North Korea Targeting South Korea... 4,600 Residents of Incheon Ganghwado Complain of Damage

Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok Visits Disaster Areas to Check on Residents' Inconveniences

Due to loudspeaker noise from North Korea aimed at South Korea, about 4,600 residents in the border area of Ganghwado, Incheon, are reported to be suffering from noise damage.

According to Incheon City on the 19th, the main noise-affected areas are Songhae-myeon, Yangsa-myeon, and Gyodong-myeon in Ganghwa-gun. Among the approximately 8,800 residents living there, about 52%, or 4,600 people, are experiencing noise damage.

In these areas, bizarre noises such as sirens and sounds of drums and janggu (traditional Korean drums) are repeatedly broadcast and stopped 24 hours a day. The noise level ranges from the sound of a telephone ringing to as loud as subway noise.

Local residents said, "The loud noises are heard constantly at all times, causing a lot of stress. Especially at night, it is difficult to sleep well, and children are startled or scared, making basic daily life difficult."

Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok visited the noise broadcasting site at Daenam, Dangsan-ri, Songhae-myeon, Ganghwa-gun on the 18th, received a status report from military officials, and inspected the damage situation of residents.
[Photo by Incheon City]

On the previous day, Yoo Jeong-bok, Mayor of Incheon, visited Songhae-myeon in Ganghwa-gun, a border area, to listen to the noise broadcast firsthand and inspect the site. Incheon City conveyed the residents' noise damage situation to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of National Defense and requested measures to address the issue.

Mayor Yoo said, "After hearing the noise directly, I confirmed how severe the residents' damage is," and added, "We will work hard to prepare measures to prevent the noise damage from continuing."

Earlier, since the end of July, the North Korean military has been broadcasting unidentified noise through loudspeakers aimed at South Korea in the front-line areas in response to South Korea's loudspeaker broadcasts toward North Korea.