South Korea's military began removing loudspeakers that have been used to blast anti-Pyongyang messages across the border, Seoul's Defense Ministry said Monday.

The speakers had previously been used to blast anti-North Korean propaganda across the border, but the South’s new liberal government halted the broadcasts in June in a conciliatory gesture as it looks to rebuild trust and revive dialogue with Pyongyang, which has largely cut off cooperation with the South in recent years.

The nations, still technically at war, had already halted propaganda broadcasts along the demilitarized zone, Seoul's military said in June.