The South Korean president calls on his country's officials to respond in kind to "any provocation" from Pyongyang

North Korea is strengthening its military capabilities... and the "South" is conducting air defense exercises

South Korean Prime Minister during his visit to the missile defense unit yesterday.

EPA

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced new goals to strengthen his country's defense capabilities, hinting that weapons tests will continue next year, while the South Korean army conducted air defense training, and South Korean President Yoon Sok Yol stressed the need to respond in kind to deter any provocation from Korea. North, saying: "We should not be afraid or hesitate despite North Korea's possession of a nuclear arsenal."

Yesterday, Kim chaired an important party meeting in the capital, Pyongyang, during which he, along with senior officials, set political goals for the year 2023, including the areas of diplomacy, security and the economy.

According to the official Korean Central News Agency, Kim put forward new major goals to enhance defense self-capacity, to be moved forward in 2023.

The agency stated that the meeting dealt with a report to analyze and evaluate the new situation based on the challenges witnessed by the Korean Peninsula, in a clear reference to the recent escalation in tension between the two Koreas.

North Korea has conducted a series of record weapons tests this year, including firing intercontinental ballistic missiles that are banned from testing by United Nations sanctions, and Pyongyang has raised tensions with Seoul, including firing artillery into maritime buffer zones and sending drones this week into the airspace of its southern neighbor. .

The incursion, which was carried out by five drones, in the first incident of its kind since 2017, prompted warning shots and the deployment of fighter jets and attack helicopters to shoot them down.

South Korean President Yoon Sok-yul asked his aides to inflict punishment and respond in kind to any provocation by North Korea, according to what was reported by the South Korean news agency "Yonhap" about Kim Eun-hee, a spokeswoman for Yun.

According to Bloomberg news agency, Yoon told his ministers yesterday that retaliation and punishment are strong measures to deter North Korea's provocation.

He said, "We should not be afraid or waver despite North Korea's possession of a nuclear arsenal."

Yoon is scheduled to visit the Defense Development Agency today to inspect the development of offensive missiles and the reconnaissance and interception system for flying objects such as drones and missiles.

And the South Korean President addressed his country’s Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup, during a cabinet meeting, saying: “How can there be no preparation against North Korean drone attacks?

There were many similar incidents before, so what have you been doing until now?”, according to one of the officials.

For his part, South Korean Prime Minister Han Dak-su visited yesterday a unit of the Third Missile Defense Brigade of the Air Force in Seoul, and took pictures with the soldiers, while the South Korean army conducted an air defense exercise among its branches, following its failure to shoot down the drones. North Korean.

Yesterday, during a meeting of the Defense Committee of the National Assembly (South Korean parliament), the Joint Chiefs of Staff gave a report on measures to quickly support anti-drone capabilities and enhance training and awareness.

The General Staff held a meeting the day before yesterday, and decided to conduct air defense training, using "KA-1" aircraft from the Air Force, and "Apache" helicopters of the army, and the authority will also define guidelines for confronting small-sized aircraft by strengthening capabilities. current combat operations and expand its radar surveillance and other drone detection assets to cover more North Korean territory and better manage the integration of offensive assets.

• Yun Seok Yul: Seoul will not be afraid of Pyongyang despite its possession of nuclear weapons.

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