“We put two loudspeaker systems in operation as an initial step and will expand to full scale,” Han said at an emergency meeting of the National Assembly’s defense committee, adding that the broadcasts were taking place in four spots.

Ruling Saenuri Party Rep. Han Ki-ho, a retired three-star general, stressed that daily necessities and anti-Pyongyang leaflets should be sent to the North and propaganda electronic boards should be reactivated. The minister said he was looking into such measures.

In a bid to facilitate search and scouting missions in the heavily fortified DMZ areas, the JCS said it would take a more offensive during operations and make them more unpredictable by changing times and locations, while overhauling the safety of their routes and removing plants to secure broader visibility.

Army Brig. Gen. Ahn Young-ho, who led the joint probe with the U.N. Command, has said that the blast site was easily eclipsed by the iron fence and surrounded by trees, making it difficult for South Korean soldiers to spot an enemy approaching, which the North apparently took advantage of.

“We’re seeking to improve our monitoring capabilities in key areas by gradually expanding badlands around guard posts and eliminating trees,” the JCS said in a report submitted to the parliamentary panel.

Later in the day, the defense committee unanimously adopted a resolution condemning Pyongyang’s provocation and urging an apology and preventive steps.