Defense Minister Warns North Korea: ‘Reckless Acts Will Lead to Destruction’

On the 13th, Minister of National Defense Shin Won Sik declared, “If North Korea commits a reckless act that harms peace, the only thing waiting for them is the hell of destruction.” He emphasized that it is the first step in the Korean Peninsula peace process for our military to engrave this in North Korea.

Shin made these remarks at a meeting of major military commanders for the second half of the year held at the Ministry of National Defense on the morning of the same day.

Shin recently expressed his disapproval of the previous government’s approach to North Korea, labeling the “Korean Peninsula Peace Process,” which relied on North Korea’s goodwill and extreme optimism, as utterly fraudulent. He emphasized the need to remember a timeless lesson from history: that retaliation serves as a deterrent, and such deterrence is essential for maintaining peace.

Shin continued, “If the enemy provokes, we must firmly retaliate based on the ‘immediate, strong, and to the end’ principle.” He emphasized, “North Korea only has two choices: peace or destruction.”

Also, he insisted on the importance of mental strength education, stating, “For our military to fulfill its duty as peacekeepers, the firm mental strength of the soldiers must be a prerequisite.”

Furthermore, he promised to improve the treatment of soldiers who serve diligently, stating, “Improving the treatment of soldiers in service is an urgent task.” He pledged to raise officer salaries and improve living conditions.

He added, “I expect our commitment here today to be a turning point towards an ‘elite, advanced, and strong military.'”

By. Sung Wook Kim