National Security Office Chief Strongly Condemns North Korea's Missile Launch Crossing NLL as "Substantial Territorial Infringement"...

Kim Seong-han Director "Deeply Regrettable Acts Committed During National Mourning Period"
Warning to North Korea "Government Will Utilize All Means for Response Measures"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] The Presidential Office stated on the 2nd regarding North Korea's ballistic missile provocation that violated our Northern Limit Line (NLL), "We view this as a serious act of practical territorial infringement."

Kim Sung-han, Director of the National Security Office, said at a briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office that afternoon, "The last time North Korea crossed the NLL and carried out a military provocation was the 2010 Yeonpyeong Island shelling, and this is the first time they have provoked the NLL through a ballistic missile launch."

Director Kim said, "North Korea is escalating tensions under the pretext of the ROK-US joint air exercises. Our position is clear," adding, "We strongly condemn North Korea for provoking in violation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions and the September 19 Military Agreement."

Above all, he added, "We find it very deplorable that this was carried out during our national mourning period."

Director Kim emphasized, "We will not tolerate any provocations by North Korea that threaten the lives and safety of our people, and we will take firm, immediate, and clear countermeasures using all government means."

He said, "The party escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula is North Korea, which continues provocations while strengthening its nuclear and missile programs. This cannot be justified for any reason, and the responsibility lies entirely with North Korea."

He also reaffirmed the position to continue defensive ROK-US joint exercises to strengthen deterrence against North Korea.

Director Kim said, "President Yoon Suk-yeol has instructed our military to maintain full readiness and prepare for the possibility of further high-intensity provocations by North Korea," emphasizing, "There is a saying that security is like oxygen; its importance is hard to realize until it becomes insufficient."

Regarding whether the recent North Korean missile launch was intended with the Itaewon tragedy national mourning period in mind, a senior official from the Presidential Office said, "Among North Korea's various provocation variables, this national mourning period does not seem to have a significant weight," adding, "This time, they seem to have targeted Vigilant Storm (the ROK-US joint air exercise). That can be seen as brazen."

On the day marking the third day of Vigilant Storm, Pak Jong-chon, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea, released a statement through the Korean Central News Agency claiming, "Due to the excessive military confrontation provocations by hostile forces, a serious situation is being created on the Korean Peninsula."

He also argued, "I evaluate the 'Vigilant Storm' joint air exercises conducted by the U.S. and South Korea, both in terms of the number of deployed fighter jets and the scale of the exercises, as an aggressive and provocative military training thoroughly aimed at our Republic, modeled after the operation name 'Desert Storm' used during the early 1990s invasion of Iraq."

Regarding the National Intelligence Service's prediction that North Korea may conduct its 7th nuclear test by the U.S. midterm elections on November 7, the office responded, "We assess that North Korea is prepared for a nuclear test and maintain a readiness posture at all times, without assuming a high likelihood of provocation during a specific period, as provocations could occur at any time."

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