Forget demilitarized zone, meet the demuffled zone

Last July, as the pepper harvest season began, Park Chan-im, 63, was doing her usual preparations for the work ahead. But her routine was shattered when North Korea started blasting what she called “indescribable noises” from loudspeakers.

The disturbing sounds — which she compared to “animal cries” and “mechanical whirring” — echoed across the inter-Korean border at all times of the day, often continuing well into the night.

“I'm dreading this summer,” Park told The Korea Times. “Installing soundproof windows in January helped, but once the weather heats up and I have to open the windows, the noise will return.”

Ganghwa County, where she lives, is the northernmost part of Incheon and at its closest point lies just 1.8 kilometers from North Korea. On Wednesday, the county announced plans to create a noise map to help residents like Park cope with the North’s prolonged loudspeaker broadcasts.

“The noise map will show detailed levels and frequencies based on key factors such as the time, volume and direction of the sound,” the county said.

County officials plan to measure noise levels at 82 locations near the inter-Korean border for 72-hour stretches between now and November. Using certified devices and weather instruments to track wind speed and direction, they aim to assess the reach of the broadcasts and use the data to guide compensation and response strategies.

North Korea began its loudspeaker broadcasts last July amid escalating tensions with Seoul.

Tensions flared after South Korea-based civic groups, including North Korean defectors, sent balloons carrying leaflets criticizing the regime across the border. Pyongyang retaliated by launching balloons filled with trash.

In response, South Korea’s military resumed its own loudspeaker broadcasts in frontline areas last June for the first time in six years — prompting the North to launch its own broadcasts targeting the South.

An estimated 22,000 county residents near the border are within the range of the North Korean broadcasts. Many have reported mental and physical distress, including sleep disorders and headaches. Some farmers have also filed complaints, saying goats suffered miscarriages and chickens stopped laying eggs due to the noise, leading authorities to launch on-site investigations.

Ganghwa County has been seeking solutions, offering up to 10 million won ($7,100) to some households to install soundproof windows — as Park did — and providing psychological counseling and treatment for residents.

Still, addressing the root cause remains a daunting challenge.

“We’ve held extensive talks with the Ministry of Public Administration and Security and the Ministry of National Defense, but frankly, there’s nothing we can do about broadcasts from North Korea,” a county official told The Korea Times, adding that the noise is loud enough to reach the county office, located far from the border.

Asked about the pattern and nature of the broadcasts, he said they are difficult to describe or predict, explaining that watching YouTube videos might offer a better idea.

“The broadcast pattern is hard to predict. Sometimes it runs for 10 minutes, then stops for 10 minutes, or plays for 20 minutes before going silent again,” he said. “It changes daily, but tends to run most frequently from around 11 p.m. to midnight — and that’s when it’s the clearest.”

While complaints have declined since the broadcasts began, the suffering continues. He noted that more residents now tend to reach out directly to the defense ministry or other authorities instead of contacting the county office.

“The number of complaints has gone down, but we still get calls from people saying they’re struggling," he said. "Unfortunately, there’s still no real solution.”