{"id":60983,"date":"2026-10-20T10:38:42","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T01:38:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/?p=60983"},"modified":"2026-10-20T11:00:22","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T02:00:22","slug":"vomk-report-422","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/2026\/10\/20\/vomk-report-422\/","title":{"rendered":"NORTH KOREA: RADIO BROADCAST JAMMING CONTINUES TO INCREASE"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”60989″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Voice of the Martyrs Korea is reporting a 12 percent increase in government jamming of its shortwave radio broadcasts to North Korea over the past eighteen months. According to Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative Dr. Hyun Sook Foley, the measurement comes from the organization\u2019s daily self-monitoring and shows that 58 percent of the ministry\u2019s broadcasts experienced some jamming in the first six months of 2026, compared to 49 percent during the same period in 2025. ” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left|color:%23111111″ google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” css=”” el_class=”headline”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]\u201cWe\u2019re seeing the effect of North Korea having fewer broadcasts to jam<\/span><\/span>,\u201d<\/span><\/span> says <\/span>Representative Foley. She says <\/span>the sharp decrease in broadcasting to North Korea by the US and South Korean governments which began in mid-2025 is continuing to <\/span>impact<\/span> groups like hers who continue to broadcast.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]\u201cThe broadcasts by the US government-funded <\/span>R<\/span>adio Free Asia (RFA) and the <\/span>South Korean <\/span>government were historically the major targets for jamming by North Korea,\u201d says <\/span>Representative Foley<\/span><\/span>. \u201c<\/span><\/span>The <\/span>South Korean government <\/span>broadcasts <\/span>remain<\/span> silent. The US government\u2019s Voice of America (VOA) broadcasts have resumed, and RFA is now broadcasting one daily <\/span>30-minute shortwave broadcast, <\/span>but this is still only about <\/span>5% of <\/span>what RFA used to <\/span>broadcast. <\/span>As a result, we <\/span>are seeing greater jamming against the remaining broadcasts<\/span><\/span> to North Korea.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Representative Foley <\/span>says that <\/span>Voice of the Martyrs Korea<\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span>s self-monitoring of their broadcasts has led them to conclude that North Korea<\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span>s jamming efforts have increased in sophistication, which <\/span>she<\/span> says could be a result of new jamming technology acquired by North Korea from Russia or China.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]But <\/span>Representative<\/span> Foley says that <\/span>news<\/span> is not all bad.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]\u201c<\/span><\/span>I<\/span>t\u2019s important to note that <\/span>even though there has been an increase in the percentage of our broadcasts experiencing some jamming, that does not mean that <\/span>less of our content is being <\/span>heard inside of North Korea<\/span><\/span>,<\/span>\u201d<\/span> <\/span>she<\/span><\/span> says<\/span><\/span>. <\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/span>A <\/span>majority of that jamming is only partial jamming<\/span>, which can last for anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes<\/span><\/span>.<\/span>\u201d<\/span> <\/span>She<\/span> says that just as North Korea has improved its jamming techniques, <\/span>Voice of the Martyrs Korea <\/span>has improved its broadcasting strategies. <\/span><\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/span>By adding a fifth daily 30<\/span><\/span>–<\/span><\/span>minute broadcast and by deploying new <\/span><\/span>\u2018<\/span><\/span>rapid response<\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span> strategies to address jamming as soon as its detected, we believe more of our content is being heard in North Korea than ever.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]She says her organization <\/span>studies broadcast jamming strategies used by other countries <\/span>in order to<\/span> stay one step ahead of North Korea. \u201c<\/span>We <\/span>anticipate that Pyongyang will keep developing its jamming <\/span>techniques using strategies it learns from other countries,\u201d says <\/span>Representative <\/span>Foley. \u201c<\/span>S<\/span>o <\/span>rather than waiting for that to happen and then reacting, we <\/span>prepare now for what we are likely to face tomorrow.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Representative Foley <\/span>says that <\/span>listening to Christian radio broadcasts <\/span>remains<\/span> the most <\/span><\/span>common religious activity among North Korean Christians.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”60985″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”A radio on the China side of the Yalu River is tuned to a Voice of the Martyrs Korea radio broadcast while North Korea is in sight on the opposite side. ” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0101|line_height:1.45em” css=””][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]\u201cBased on our own religious experiences, we often assume that the most common religious activities of North Korean Christians would be things like gathering together for underground worship services or reading the Bible privately or praying,\u201d said <\/span>Representative<\/span> Foley<\/span>. \u201cBut these kinds of activities are easily detectable by <\/span>onlookers, because<\/span> they are distinctly Christian activities. <\/span>Even prayer is typically done in a certain posture, where the person <\/span>sits<\/span> a certain way, holds their hands a certain way, moves a certain way, and concentr<\/span>ates <\/span>and whispers. <\/span>L<\/span>istening to foreign radio broadcasts is also illegal, but <\/span>it\u2019s<\/span> a far more common activity which is less obviously \u2018Christian\u2019 to onlookers, including other family members who may not be Christian.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]According to <\/span>Representative Foley<\/span><\/span>, <\/span><\/span>b<\/span>etween 14 and 20 percent of North Koreans<\/span> listen to foreign broadcasts through headphone radios <\/span>purchased<\/span> on the gray and black markets. <\/span>She<\/span><\/span> explains that because listening <\/span>to such broadcasts can be done overnight<\/span> in the dark in silence, it <\/span>remains<\/span> the primary way that North Koreans are able to access Christian content.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]\u201cEach time we meet North Koreans who are new to South Korea, about 30 percent of them have had some <\/span>previous <\/span>exposure to Christianity<\/span><\/span>,<\/span>\u201d<\/span> <\/span>says Representative Foley. <\/span>She <\/span><\/span>says <\/span>s<\/span>he believes <\/span>the cessation of the government broadcasts <\/span>to North Korea shows the difference in motivation of government and <\/span>Christian <\/span>broadcasters.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]\u201c<\/span><\/span>For governments, sending information into countries <\/span>changes as their <\/span>strategic interests<\/span> change<\/span>,\u201d says <\/span>Representative <\/span>Foley. \u201cInformation is sometimes seen as a political tool for regime change<\/span> or for applying pressure on human rights issues<\/span>. For Christian broadcasters, the motivation is what the <\/span>a<\/span>postle Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:2: \u2018Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season\u2019. <\/span>Voice of the <\/span>Martyrs<\/span> Korea <\/span>never broadcasts news, information, or politics. We simply preach the word. The cancellation of the government broadcasts means that more North Koreans than ever are likely to be exposed to the gospel, as fewer other options are <\/span>now available for listening. That is why we <\/span>added <\/span>a fifth <\/span>daily <\/span>broadcast<\/span> as soon as the government broadcasts went silent<\/span><\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Individuals interested in hearing the <\/span>Voice of the Martyrs Korea <\/span>daily radio broadcasts into North Korea can listen <\/span>online, at <\/span><\/span>http:\/\/www.podbbang.com\/ch\/1768188<\/span><\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/span>More information about Voice of the Martyrs Korea\u2019s North Korea radio broadcasts is available at <\/span><\/span>www.vomkorea.com\/en\/radio<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”60989″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Voice of the Martyrs Korea is reporting a 12 percent increase in government jamming of its shortwave radio broadcasts to North Korea over the past …","protected":false},"author":1959,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[79,140],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-60983","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nk","category-vomk-report"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.6","language":"en","enabled_languages":["ko","en","zh","ru"],"languages":{"ko":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"zh":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"ru":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60983","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1959"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60983"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60983\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60996,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60983\/revisions\/60996"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60983"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60983"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60983"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}