SEOUL, South Korea: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol delivered a stern warning to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Tuesday, stating that any nuclear attack on the South would result in the end of the North Korean regime.
Yoon’s remarks came during a ceremony marking South Korea’s Armed Forces Day, where he addressed 5,300 military personnel at Seoul Air Base. He emphasized the strength of South Korea’s military and its close alliance with the United States, which maintains tens of thousands of troops in South Korea.
“If North Korea attempts to use nuclear weapons, it will face the resolute and overwhelming response of our military,” Yoon declared, highlighting the country’s readiness to defend itself. As part of the event, South Korea showcased its largest ballistic missile, the Hyunmoo-5, capable of destroying underground bunkers. An American B-1B heavy bomber also participated in a flyover to demonstrate the strength of the Seoul-Washington alliance.
North Korea responded to the military displays with a statement from Vice-Minister of National Defence, Kim Kang Il, accusing the South of provocation and warning that Pyongyang was “fully prepared to thoroughly defend” itself. The North has recently ramped up its nuclear rhetoric, including releasing images of its uranium enrichment facilities and calling for increased production of nuclear weapons.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service has warned that the North might conduct another nuclear test after the U.S. elections in November. Meanwhile, South Korea is staging a military parade through central Seoul, involving 3,000 personnel and advanced military equipment, marking a significant show of force amid heightened tensions.
