North Korea has reportedly halted the operations of a radio station believed to be transmitting coded messages to its operatives in South Korea. Radio Pyongyang, also recognised as the Voice of Korea is a station known for airing a mix of entertainment content and verbal recitations of numbers. Experts contend that these number sequences may contain encoded messages intended for agents overseas.
North Korea’s radio and television are under strict government control, primarily featuring programs that commend Kim Jong Un. Access to foreign channels is restricted, limiting the viewing options for the people.
Reports indicate that Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un has ordered the suspension of operations for Radio Pyongyang. This decision is said to be a part of the broader initiative to reorganise inter-Korea affairs, a matter discussed during a Workers’ Party meeting last month.
Now, the radio station’s website has been taken down, according to information reported by Yonhap News Agency. Kim Jong Un has issued a clear directive that government permission must be obtained before broadcasting any messages.
The radio station, Radio Pyongyang, has a history dating back to 1945 when it first broadcasted Kim Il Sung’s post-WWII victory speech. The program was suspended by North Korean officials in 2000 but resumed in 2016.
Recent weeks have seen a deterioration in cooperation between North and South Korea. The decline is attributed to the Kim regime’s military conducting artillery barrages in buffer zones between the countries, citing them as combat drills.
North and South Korea are technically still in a state of war since the Korean War of 1950-53 concluded with a truce. Presently, tensions are heightened between the two nations.
The government has allegedly planned a gradual decrease in civilian exchanges with its southern neighbour. According to estimates from South Korean intelligence, approximately 260 shells were purportedly fired into the area earlier this month. In response to this provocation, the South Korean Defense Ministry reportedly discharged around 400 rounds.
In a statement last month, Kim highlighted that his regime has no plans to unilaterally instigate a major event through superior strength in the Korean peninsula. Still, he also emphasized that they are not seeking to avoid a war.
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