23 April 2018•Update: 23 April 2018
By Alex Jensen
SEOUL
South Korea ceased propaganda broadcasts at its border with North Korea Monday, four days ahead of the first inter-Korean summit in more than a decade.
A Defense Ministry statement explained the move is aimed at "reducing military tensions between the South and North and creating a mood of peaceful talks."
Seoul has blared audio contents, including K-pop music and anti-Pyongyang messages, on and off since 1963.
The neighbors agreed to switch off their loudspeakers in 2015, but the deal was short-lived due to nuclear tensions -- it was not immediately clear Monday whether North Korea would also cease its own propaganda.
This Friday's third inter-Korean summit since 2000 will include a dinner at the border between the South's President Moon Jae-in and his counterpart Kim Jong-un.
Further details of the meeting were worked out at a third round of preparatory talks Monday, including the schedule, which will see the summit start before noon.
Moon additionally praised the North for deciding last week to halt nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests.
"It is a green light that raises the possibility of success of the South-North, North Korea-U.S. summits," the South Korean leader said at a presidential office meeting, according to local news agency Yonhap. He was also referring to a plan for Kim to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump by June.
"We are standing at a crossroads to denuclearization not by military measures but through peaceful means and permanent peace," Moon added.
The Koreas have been in a state of war since their 1950-53 conflict ended in a cease-fire rather than a peace treaty.
During the war Turkish forces served under the UN Command, and 774 Turkish soldiers were martyred.
