South Korea’s secret weapon: girl groups?

In the wake of the sinking of the South Korean ship the Cheonan, Lee Myung-bak’s government in Seoul threatened to resume propaganda broadcasts into North Korea, setting up loudspeakers along the demilitarized zone.

When the North  reacted with fury, threatening to shell the speakers, many in the South had second thoughts, and the move was reportedly put on hold.

Now,  some in the South Korean Defense Ministry are said to be proposing using “songs and music videos by manufactured girl bands such as Girls’ Generation, Wonder Girls, After School, Kara and 4minute in so-called psychological warfare against North Korea,” according to the Chosun Ilbo, a right-leaning South Korean newspaper.

It’s clear from the official quoted in the story that no decision has been made, and in any case the girl groups would be just one of many measures directed across the border. But that didn’t stop the  paper from speculating that “the revealing outfits worn by the performers and their provocative dances could have a considerable impact on North Korean soldiers.”

Maybe they should broadcast South Korea’s World Cup matches, too?