US-ROK Joint Chiefs Chair: "North Korea's Missile Provocation is a Serious Challenge"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] On the 23rd, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Won In-chul discussed the security situation on the Korean Peninsula via video call with U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the day, Chairman Won and Chairman Milley defined "the successive missile launches by North Korea this year as a serious challenge threatening peace and stability not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in the Indo-Pacific region," and agreed that "the ROK-U.S. alliance and the combined defense posture are stronger than ever."

In the call, Chairman Won emphasized, "Since the possibility of additional North Korean ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) launches and nuclear tests remains, close cooperation and preparation to demonstrate the alliance's firm response capability and will in case of emergency are important."

Chairman Milley also expressed his willingness for active cooperation and support, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that he responded, "The United States' security commitment to the Republic of Korea remains ironclad now and will continue in the future." Ahead of Chairman Won's departure, the two chairmen exchanged gratitude and shared a sense of farewell.

Chairman Milley expressed his gratitude to Chairman Won for his exemplary leadership dedicated to regional peace and stability, as well as the development of Korea and the ROK-U.S. alliance, and also thanked him for the support and encouragement shown to the U.S. Forces Korea soldiers.

In response, Chairman Won said, "Chairman Milley of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, who has been a true comrade, has always shared concerns and overcome hardships together whenever the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, including North Korean provocations, was difficult and challenging," and pledged, "I will continue to do my best to develop a future-oriented ROK-U.S. alliance and strengthen the combined defense posture without change."

The government nominated Kim Seung-gyeom (59, 42nd class of the Korea Military Academy), Deputy Commander of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command, as the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the 25th of last month and submitted the personnel hearing request to the National Assembly.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.