Military chief calls for 'overwhelming' capabilities against N. Korean threats

채윤환 / 2023-12-12 16:24:36

military chief-border units

▲ Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Adm. Kim Myung-soo (C) inspects a Marine Corps artillery unit that returned fire against the North during the 2010 shelling of Yeonpyeong Island, during his visit to the northwestern border island on Dec. 12, 2023, in this photo provided by his office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

military chief-border units

Military chief calls for 'overwhelming' capabilities against N. Korean threats

SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top military officer on Tuesday called for "overwhelming" capabilities against possible North Korean provocations as he visited a border island in the wake of Pyongyang's scrapping of a 2018 inter-Korean military agreement.

Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Adm. Kim Myung-soo made the call at a Marine Corps unit on the northwestern border island of Yeonpyeong in the Yellow Sea, after the North vowed last month to restore all military measures halted under the pact.

The agreement called for measures to reduce tensions and prevent accidental clashes, such as banning military drills and maneuvers near the land and sea borders, and closing coastal artillery gunports.

"With the scrapping of the Sept. 19 military agreement, the enemy is raising the level of provocations by opening their coastal gunports around the northwestern islands and can carry out deceptive or surprise provocations at any time," Kim was quoted as saying.

He also inspected an artillery unit that returned fire against the North during the bombardment of the island in 2010, calling for a "firm" response if the enemy ever carries out a provocation again.

The 2010 shelling killed four South Koreans, including two civilians.

Kim visited other western front-line operational areas of the 2nd Marine Division and instructed troops to maintain readiness against various enemy threats, his office said.

On Nov. 23, Pyongyang scrapped the 2018 agreement after Seoul partially suspended the deal in protest of the North's launch of its first military spy satellite on Nov. 21.

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