Seoul Archbishop: Stopping Loudspeaker Broadcasts a Step Toward Peace

The recent decision by South Korea to halt loudspeaker broadcasts across the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) could be a small but meaningful step toward easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, said Archbishop Peter Soon-taick Chung of Seoul and Apostolic Administrator of Pyongyang, in a message reported by Fides.

The Archbishop’s remarks came ahead of the August 15 Solemnity of the Assumption. Drawing from Scripture, he described the Christian life as “a journey through the desert,” where believers, like the people of Israel or the Blessed Virgin Mary, face trials but are guided by God toward peace. “We sometimes have to pass through desert regions before we reach the Father’s house,” he said, “but God always accompanies us, giving grace and strength to endure.”

Applying this spiritual insight to the peninsula’s fragile situation, Archbishop Chung noted that Seoul’s decision to stop its broadcasts to the North, aimed at protecting border communities, was met with a reciprocal halt from Pyongyang. “Every change begins with small acts of determination and courage,” he said. “May this seemingly modest change be the first step that leads our wounded country through its desert toward the promise of peace.”

According to Fides, the Archbishop called for continued patience, dialogue, and reconciliation efforts, urging all Koreans to make daily choices for peace. “Even small gestures can plant seeds of hope,” he said, “and hope, nurtured with faith, can grow into lasting peace.”