Yoon: "Eulji Exercise, Starting Point for Emergency Preparedness... Only Realistic Drills Can Protect the People and Security" (Comprehensive)

President Yoon Chairs Eulji Cabinet Meeting
"A Flawless Security Posture Is Essential to Maintain Peace"
Special Disaster Zones Declared in 10 Locations Nationwide Including Gwanak, Seoul
"Will Complete Swift Joint Investigation and Declare Additional Special Disaster Zones"
"Reviving Livelihoods and Securing Food Are Crucial... Digital Talent Development Determines the Nation's Future"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] On the 22nd, President Yoon Suk-yeol personally inspected the Eulji Exercise training situation and ordered the establishment of a flawless security posture, stating, "This will be the starting point for newly reorganizing our government's emergency preparedness in line with the changing nature of warfare." He also declared 10 cities, counties, and districts nationwide, including Gwanak-gu in Seoul, which suffered large-scale damage due to the recent heavy rains, as special disaster areas.

During the Eulji Cabinet Meeting held at the Yongsan Presidential Office that morning, President Yoon stated in his opening remarks, "Today's warfare is fundamentally different from the past."

President Yoon emphasized, "It is clear that attacks will be carried out on national infrastructure information and communication facilities, including cyberattacks, as well as on critical industrial bases such as ports, airports, nuclear power plants, advanced industrial facilities including semiconductors, and major raw material supply chains. They will attempt to damage and neutralize our warfighting capabilities."

He further stressed the organic operation between the government exercise Eulji Exercise and the military exercise 'Eulji Freedom Shield (UFS)' and urged, "Please participate in the exercises with the determination to maintain government functions without wavering, support military operations, and ensure the safety of the people in any national crisis situation."

President Yoon added, "Only exercises that are identical to real combat can firmly protect the lives of the people and national security," and "To maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula, our flawless security posture must be the foundation."

Regarding the large-scale damage caused by the recent heavy rains, he first declared 10 cities, counties, and districts, including Gwanak-gu in Seoul, Yangpyeong in Gyeonggi Province, and Buyeo in Chungnam Province, as special disaster areas. This is the first time a special disaster area has been declared under the new administration.

President Yoon explained the background of the special disaster area declaration, saying, "Certain legal requirements, such as the amount of damage, must be met to declare a special disaster area. We are declaring special disaster areas starting with places where preliminary investigations have been completed to help with rapid recovery."

He also added, "For areas where investigations have not yet been completed, we will promptly complete joint investigations and additionally declare special disaster areas."

Along with this, he emphasized, "The government will do its utmost to ensure rapid emergency recovery and damage support so that those affected by the heavy rains can quickly return to their daily lives," and "We will thoroughly prepare infrastructure to prevent recurrence and countermeasures for vulnerable groups and vulnerable areas."

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, the areas declared as special disaster zones include eight cities, counties, and districts: Yeongdeungpo-gu and Gwanak-gu in Seoul; Seongnam, Gwangju, and Yangpyeong in Gyeonggi Province; Hoengseong in Gangwon Province; Buyeo and Cheongyang in Chungnam Province; and three towns, townships, and neighborhoods: Gaepo 1-dong in Gangnam-gu, and Geumsa-myeon and Sanbuk-myeon in Yeoju.

On this day, in connection with the Korea-U.S. joint exercise 'Eulji Freedom Shield (UFS),' President Yoon wore the bright green civil defense uniform, which is being piloted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and personally inspected the training situation during the four-day Eulji Exercise starting from the 22nd.

In addition, President Yoon reiterated the emphasis on revitalizing people's livelihoods and securing the nation's future food sources, which he highlighted in his Liberation Day speech and 100-day press conference. He instructed, "Correct what is wrong and normalize it, and ensure that the national tasks promised to the people are carried out without delay. Each ministry should carefully manage this."

Regarding the comprehensive digital talent development plan to be discussed at the regular Cabinet meeting following the Eulji Cabinet Meeting, he stressed, "Sufficiently nurturing digital talents needed not only in the digital industry but across all areas of society will determine the country's future."

He continued, "There are limits to knowledge-acquisition education alone. We must innovate the education system for creative, problem-solving education and systematically provide educational programs that can improve digital literacy across all generations," urging cooperation among related ministries for its implementation.

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