Islamabad, 22 October, 2026 (Nosheen): North Korea has announced plans to resume anti-South Korea propaganda broadcasts along the heavily fortified border this month, escalating tensions between the two countries following land mine explosions that injured three South Korean frontline soldiers. Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and a senior political figure in Pyongyang, announced the decision on Wednesday during a visit to frontline areas where North Korean troops are strengthening border fortifications. She warned that North Korea would retaliate against any South Korean actions that threaten its territorial security or the safety of its military personnel. Kim described the fortification work as a major undertaking supporting her brother’s policy of permanently severing ties with South Korea, which Pyongyang has declared its most hostile adversary. She said loudspeakers used for psychological warfare against South Korea would be operational along the entire border before the end of October. North Korea has been reinforcing its border with land mines, barbed-wire fences, anti-tank barriers and other military installations as Kim Jong Un maintains a hard-line approach towards Seoul amid a prolonged diplomatic stalemate. The announcement followed land mine explosions on September 21 that injured three South Korean soldiers. After an inspection with the US-led United Nations Command, South Korea formally accused North Korea of planting the mines and urged Pyongyang to apologise and remove remaining explosives. North Korea denied responsibility for the incidents and warned of strong retaliation if provoked. Kim Yo Jong also criticised South Korea’s warning shots, which Seoul says are intended to prevent North Korean soldiers from crossing the military demarcation line during fortification work. She warned that North Korean border guards would respond without mercy if South Korean actions caused actual harm to its territory or personnel. South Korea’s military has reported that North Korean soldiers crossed the military demarcation line 50 times this year while carrying out fortification activities, prompting warning shots and broadcasts from the South. Pyongyang, however, has rejected the allegations, describing them as a pretext for escalating tensions. During a separate border inspection, North Korean military official Marshal Pak Jong Chon accused Seoul of making deliberate and baseless claims to shift responsibility for the deteriorating situation. He also threatened an overwhelming response to any South Korean provocation and insisted that North Korean troops knew the location of their border. Meanwhile, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, Jin Yong-Sung, described Kim Yo Jong’s threats as intolerable and ordered the military to respond firmly to any potential North Korean provocations. Loudspeaker broadcasts have historically been used by both Koreas as a psychological warfare tactic during periods of heightened tensions. South Korea’s liberal government, led by President Lee Jae Myung, suspended its broadcasts after taking office last year in an effort to improve relations with the North. Pyongyang subsequently halted its own broadcasts. However, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has increasingly rejected dialogue and cooperation with Seoul in recent years, declaring South Korea a permanent enemy as nuclear negotiations with Washington remain stalled. The latest announcement has raised fresh concerns about a further deterioration in inter-Korean relations and the possibility of renewed military confrontation along one of the world’s most heavily militarised borders.