Presidential Office NSC Meeting... Yoon "North Korea's Reckless Provocations Will Be Punished"

Before Departure, Yoon Attends and Orders "Conduct Joint Exercises with Increased Intensity" Amid North Korea Missile Provocation

The National Security Office held an emergency Standing Committee meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) on the 16th regarding North Korea's launch of a long-range ballistic missile. President Yoon Suk-yeol attended the meeting before departing for Japan and warned, "North Korea's reckless provocation will surely bear clear consequences."

At the meeting, NSC standing committee members emphasized that North Korea's long-range ballistic missile launch is a clear violation of the UN Security Council resolutions, a serious provocation that escalates tensions on the Korean Peninsula and threatens regional peace, and they strongly condemned it.

President Yoon also instructed that the Republic of Korea and U.S. maintain a firm combined defense posture capable of deterring any threats from North Korea, and to thoroughly carry out the ongoing joint exercise "Freedom Shield." He further emphasized conducting the planned joint exercises, including airborne assault and carrier strike group drills, with high intensity. In particular, he stated, "North Korea's reckless provocation will surely bear clear consequences," and urged further strengthening of ROK-U.S.-Japan security cooperation.

NSC attendees noted that while the Kim Jong-un regime continues nuclear development and missile provocations, it has not resolved economic difficulties and chronic food shortages, but rather relies on illegal activities such as smuggling fuel and luxury goods, exploiting workers for foreign currency earnings, and cyber hacking. They agreed to continue efforts to inform the international community more accurately about North Korea's current reality.

The meeting was attended by Kim Sung-han, Director of the National Security Office; Kim Dae-gi, Chief of the Presidential Secretariat; Park Jin, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Kwon Young-se, Minister of Unification; Lee Jong-sup, Minister of National Defense; Kim Kyu-hyun, Director of the National Intelligence Service; Kim Tae-hyo, Secretary General of the NSC Secretariat; and Lim Jong-deuk, Deputy Director of the National Security Office.

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