North Korea Says It's Considering More Border Weapons, Loudspeaker Broadcasts

Kim Yo-jong, deputy director of North Korea's ruling party and sister of leader Kim Jong-un, said on October 19 that North Korea is considering deploying additional tactical weapons along its border with South Korea and resuming loudspeaker broadcasts directed at the South. In a statement distributed through state media, she described the border situation as "extremely unstable" and accused South Korean forces of repeated provocations.

Kim Yo-jong cited specific figures: she claimed South Korean military conducted approximately 2,870 loudspeaker warning broadcasts and 201 warning shots between August 1 and October 17. She characterized these actions, along with what she called "mine explosion incidents," as crossing a line. She did not specify which tactical weapons North Korea was considering deploying.

The statement comes after an explosion in September in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) injured South Korean soldiers. A joint investigation by South Korean military and UN Command concluded that North Korean mines planted on the South Korean side of the border caused the blast. North Korea has denied involvement and called the incident a "farce."

Kim Yo-jong warned that if South Korean actions continued, "the South Korean government will surely regret it and face uncontrollable and terrifying dangers." She also indicated North Korea was considering resuming loudspeaker broadcasts toward South Korea and taking "other necessary and appropriate measures." These statements reflect a broader pattern of escalating rhetoric, as North Korea has been fortifying its border since April 2024, deploying thousands of personnel to lay mines and install barriers, according to South Korean military reports.