Pressure grows on China to rein in North Korea; South launches propaganda barrage

SEOUL/BEIJING: South Korea unleashed a high-decibel propaganda barrage across its border with North Korea on Friday in retaliation for its nuclear test, while the United States called on China to end “business as usual” with its ally.

The broadcasts, in rolling bursts from walls of loudspeakers at 11 locations along the heavily militarized border, blare rhetoric critical of the North Koran regime as well as “K-pop” music, ratcheting up tension between the rival Koreas.

South Korea, which has grown increasingly close to China in recent years, also said its foreign minister would speak with his Chinese counterpart later on Friday.

Wednesday’s nuclear test angered both the United States and China, which was not given prior notice, although the US government and weapons experts doubt Pyongyang’s claim that the device it set off was a hydrogen bomb.
Sources Daily News Times