Seoul: South Korea's top military officer on Thursday called for maintaining "overwhelming" readiness against North Korean threats, hours after Pyongyang's launch of ballistic missiles into the East Sea, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.
According to Yonhap News Agency, JCS Chairman Adm. Kim Myung-soo emphasized the importance of readiness as he visited the Air Force's 20th Fighter Wing in Seosan, approximately 98 kilometers southwest of Seoul. This visit followed North Korea's firing of multiple short-range ballistic missiles into nearby waters.
Adm. Kim highlighted the necessity of recognizing evolving enemy threats in light of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and stressed the need to maintain a state of readiness to effectively counter and punish any provocative actions by adversaries. His remarks came during a briefing on the operations of the Air Force unit.
North Korea's involvement in supporting Russia's war efforts against Ukraine has been noted, with suspicions that Pyongyang has received military technology assistance from Moscow in return. This exchange has provided North Korea with experience in modern warfare.
Adm. Kim's visit also occurred in the wake of an inspection into the Air Force for potential lapses in operational discipline. This inspection followed incidents involving an accidental fighter jet bombing of a civilian town in March and a mistaken mid-air release of aircraft equipment last month. The Air Force has attributed both incidents to pilot error, prompting concerns regarding the military branch's overall readiness posture.