A North Korean loudspeaker in the border county of Kaepoong is seen from Ganghwa County in Incheon, Thursday. Yonhap

The Incheon Metropolitan Government announced on Friday that it will request the central government to establish an administrative framework for compensating residents near the inter-Korean border who have been affected by disruptive noises from North Korean loudspeakers.

The city government said it will implement a set of measures to protect residents from the noise, which has persisted for two months. This includes plans to conduct a wide inspection of livestock farms within the noise impact zone to assess potential health risks.

The plan also involves making official requests to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of National Defense to explore ways to minimize the suffering of residents and establish a framework for compensation. Additionally, the city plans to request the authorities to transmit white noise to cancel out North Korea's broadcasts.

Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, who visited Ganghwa County on Wednesday, acknowledged the residents' distress, saying, "I can see how disturbing the noise is for the residents. We will thoroughly review measures to ease their suffering."

The local government reported that 52 percent of the 8,800 residents living in three border towns in Ganghwa County have experienced distress due to the noise. Songhae-myeon, located just two kilometers from North Korea and separated only by the sea, has been particularly affected.

The disruptive sounds, described as high-pitched and resembling scraping metal, were first reported in late July. The noise also includes sirens and drums that continue throughout the day and night.

Officials in Seoul speculate that this may be a form of retaliation by the North against South Korean loudspeaker broadcasts, which resumed earlier that month. It could also be a tactic to prevent its own residents from hearing South Korean propaganda, officials said.

Since late July, the South Korean military has been blaring daily propaganda broadcasts into North Korea, in response to the North's launch of trash-carrying balloons which began in late May. These broadcasts include K-pop songs and news critical of the Kim Jong-un regime, such as reports on the defection of North Korean diplomats and soldiers.

Some politicians argue that halting the propaganda broadcasts would be a fundamental solution to the ongoing tit-for-tat noise battle.

Rep. Park Sun-won of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), who visited Ganghwa County on Sept. 13, asked the Ministry of National Defense to stop the broadcasts. However, Park said the request was dismissed.

According to the lawmaker, the ministry responded, "North Korea has deliberately provoked us based on its own needs and will continue to do so. Stopping our broadcasts would mean playing into North Korea's hands and could threaten our national security."