‘It is driving us crazy’ North Korea irks South Korea village with ‘noise-bombing’ – Times of India

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In the South Korean village of Dangsan, residents are facing relentless noise attacks they describe as disturbing and unbearable, reported the New York Times.
The sounds range from metallic howls to gong-like reverberations that seem designed to unnerve and exhaust the village’s 354 inhabitants.
These sounds, which have echoed across the border from North Korea since July, are a form of “noise bombing” inflicted by North Korea as part of escalating tensions with South Korea. Villagers reported experiencing insomnia, headaches, and stress, with some claiming that even their animals are suffering due to the relentless noise. “It is driving us crazy,” NYT qouted An Mi-hee, who is 37 years old. “You can’t sleep at night”, she added.
North Korea’s ‘noise campaign’ began after South Korea resumed propaganda broadcasts toward the North, sparking a response that has upended life along the border. Historically, both nations have used loudspeakers to transmit insults or propaganda music across the DMZ, yet this time, North Korea’s broadcasts lack any human voices, focusing instead on eerie, mechanical sounds.
“The worst part is that we don’t know when it will end,” said An, who has watched her village turn from a peaceful, rural community into a battleground in a psychological war. “It’s bombing without shells,” she added.
Some analysts believe this intensified psychological warfare reflects a shift in North Korea’s strategy, seeking to pressure the South into ceasing its propaganda operations.
“North Korea knows its propaganda no longer works on South Koreans,” said Kang Dong-wan, a North Korea expert. As per the NYT, He argued that the goal of these broadcasts is now to coerce South Korea into halting broadcasts and leaflets aimed at North Korea.
The stress of the ongoing noise bombardment has drawn attention from South Korean leaders, though villagers say there’s been little relief offered.
During a recent parliamentary session, a tearful An Mi-hee pleaded with lawmakers for help, yet officials proposed no tangible solutions beyond providing double-pane windows and medication for livestock. “The government has abandoned us because we are small in number and mostly old people,” said 75-year-old Park Hae-sook.