South Korea’s president urged his troops to develop an “unwavering military spirit” and train harder as he vowed immediate retaliation against any possible provocation by North Korea in a speech marking Armed Forces Day
From
HYUNG-JIN KIM Associated Press
September 26, 2023, 12:07 AM ET
• 2 min reading
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s president urged his troops on Tuesday to develop an “unwavering military spirit” and train harder as he promised immediate retaliation against any possible provocation by North Korea in a speech marking Armed Forces Day.
President Yoon Suk Yeol’s speech came amid growing concern that North Korea is pushing to enlist Russian support to increase its nuclear arsenal in return for Russia replenishing its conventional weapons stockpile depleted by the war with Ukraine.
“The cornerstone of our robust national defense lies, above all, in your unwavering military spirit, strong commitment and clear definition of your enemies,” Yoon told troops during the Armed Forces Day ceremony after inspecting soldiers and weapons systems at a military airport in the Near Seoul.
“I strongly recommend that you train hard every day and with the discipline required in real combat situations,” Yoon said.
Yoon called North Korea’s advancing nuclear program “an existential threat to our people” but said the South Korean military would immediately retaliate against any North Korean provocation. He reiterated that if North Korea uses nuclear weapons, the government of North Korea will be overthrown. “an overwhelming response” from South Korean and U.S. forces.
Concerns about military ties between North Korea and Russia grew earlier this month after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un traveled to Russia’s Far Eastern region, held a summit with President Vladimir Putin and visited key military sites there.
North Korea reportedly wants to obtain Russian technologies to complete the development of spy satellites, nuclear submarines and powerful long-range missiles. If completed, such weapons systems would pose a major security threat to South Korea and the United States, experts say.
During his speech on Tuesday, Yoon did not mention North Korea-Russia relations. But speaking at the U.N. General Assembly last week, Yoon said South Korea “will not stand idly by” if North Korea and Russia agree to such arms transfer deals that violate U.N. Security Council resolutions banning all arms trade with North Korea.
U.S. officials have also warned that North Korea and Russia would face consequences if they struck such prohibited deals.