The Ministry of National Defense on Sept. 1 said it halted its "Voice of Freedom" radio propaganda broadcast to North Korea to "ease military tension between both Koreas." Shown are guard posts in both Koreas across the Imjingang River in Paju, Gyeonggi-do Province, near the inter-Korean border. (Yonhap News)

By Lee Dasom

The military on Sept. 1 stopped its radio propaganda broadcast "Voice of Freedom" toward North Korea.

The Ministry of National Defense in Seoul that day said in a notice, "We halted the 'Voice of Freedom' broadcast as part of measures to ease inter-Korean military tension."

Domestic news media including Yonhap News said this was the first such suspension in 15 years since the broadcast was resumed following the North's sinking of the South Korean naval warship Cheonan in May 2010.

Earlier in June, the ministry stopped all forward-facing loudspeaker broadcasts toward the North and removed loudspeakers in border areas.

dlektha0319@korea.kr