NSC Standing Committee "North Korea's Missile Launch Provokes Heightened Tensions on Korean Peninsula... Strong Condemnation"

On the 13th, coinciding with the 11th anniversary of Kim Jong-un's appointment as Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea, our government held an emergency National Security Council (NSC) Standing Committee meeting and strongly condemned the provocation involving the launch of medium-range and longer ballistic missiles.

Cho Tae-yong, Director of the National Security Office, convened the NSC Standing Committee at the Yongsan Presidential Office in the morning, received a situation report from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and discussed response measures, the Presidential Office stated. The Presidential Office explained, "The National Security Office immediately reported the relevant details to President Yoon Suk-yeol."

The NSC Standing Committee members stated, "North Korea's missile launches constitute a serious violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and a grave provocation that escalates tensions on the Korean Peninsula and in the region," adding, "We strongly condemn the launch of medium-range and longer ballistic missiles following the long-range ballistic missile launches in February and March."

In particular, the attendees criticized, "We deplore the Kim Jong-un regime's reckless nuclear threats and missile provocations, continuing without regard for the human rights abuses and the collapse of livelihoods of the North Korean people."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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They agreed to maintain a firm readiness posture through thorough implementation of the ROK-US joint exercises and to further strengthen intelligence sharing between South Korea, the United States, and Japan based on the ROK-US alliance and the normalization of the ROK-Japan General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA). Regarding this, the NSC Standing Committee members emphasized, "North Korea's recent successive provocations and threatening rhetoric once again demonstrate the importance of a strong ROK-US alliance and unwavering trust."

Additionally, the attendees decided to closely monitor North Korea's nuclear and missile-related facilities and actively consider multifaceted countermeasures in preparation for possible further provocations, based on trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Japan.

At the emergency NSC Standing Committee meeting held that day, attendees included Director Cho Tae-yong, Foreign Minister Park Jin, Unification Minister Kwon Young-se, Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup, National Intelligence Service Director Kim Kyu-hyun, and Deputy Director of the National Security Office Lim Jong-deuk.

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