South Korea’s defense chief vowed Monday swift and stern counterattacks against possible provocations by North Korea, in a grim warning against the communist country’s recent spate of threats.
During his visit to the Navy’s 2nd Fleet Command in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, Defense Minister Han Min-koo pointed out that Pyongyang “has been looking for any excuses for future provocations while making threats against (South Korea’s) leaflets campaign.”
Over the weekend, Pyongyang vowed to mobilize “every firepower strike means” to blow up balloons or drones from the South, after civic activists here said they plan to fly them carrying anti-North Korean leaflets and DVDs of “The Interview,” a Hollywood comedy film about a plot to assassinate the North’s leader, Kim Jong-un.
Earlier on Monday, however, the activists announced a provisional halt to their plan to fly propaganda leaflets across the border.
“If the enemy provokes us, our military will launch stern counterattacks without hesitation so that they will never even think of being provocative,” Han said.
The minister then visited the Marine Corps headquarters in Suwon, south of Seoul, and called on the troops there to be fully prepared to win a victory against the enemy, noting that North Korea “has vigorously carried out military exercises after declaring 2015 the year of completing unification.”
The defense minister toured an exhibition center for the Cheonan, a South Korean warship that was sunk by a North Korean torpedo attack near the tensely-guarded Yellow Sea border in 2010, and once again expressed condolences to the 46 fallen sailors and their bereaved families. Thursday marks the fifth anniversary of the deadly incident.
“It is an indisputable fact that North Korea is responsible for the attack,” he said, criticizing the bellicose regime for constantly denying any involvement in the sinking and refusing to apologize.
Late last year, the Navy opened the memorial center for the incident inside the 2nd Fleet headquarters, displaying the hull of the 1,200-ton corvette. (Yonhap)
