South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol visited a Marine Corps division in Gimpo, west of Seoul, on February 10, on the first day of the year of the Dragon 2024.
"If the enemy provokes, you must respond sternly and aggressively according to the principle of 'act first, report later' to completely crush the opponent's will," Yonhap news agency quoted President Yoon as saying.
President Yoon Suk Yeol visits soldiers on Lunar New Year's Day
YONHAP/OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF KOREA
President Yoon inspected a multiple rocket launcher and urged soldiers to be prepared for any provocations. During the visit, Yoon also participated in a New Year's call between some soldiers and their families.
Since taking office in 2022, President Yoon has been boosting South Korea’s defense capabilities and increasing defense cooperation with the United States and Japan to counter threats from the North. He issued similar directives last month and during a visit to a frontline unit in December 2023.
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The South Korean president's directives came after North Korea declared Seoul its "main enemy" and would declare war if even an inch of its territory was violated, while disbanding relevant agencies trying to broker dialogue between the two sides.
In a statement published by the KCNA news agency on February 9, Mr. Kim said that North Korea would not hesitate to end the existence of South Korea if attacked, calling Seoul "the most dangerous hostile state and an implacable enemy."
In addition to the tense rhetoric, both Koreas have beefed up border security in recent months and conducted live-fire drills. President Yoon Suk-yeol has said North Korea is likely to carry out more provocations ahead of South Korea’s April 10 parliamentary elections. Yoon and his People Power Party are seeking to regain a majority in parliament for the first time since 2016.
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