Speaking at a ceremony to mark the 75th Armed Forces Day on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, South Korea’s President urged his troops to build an “unwavering military spirit” and train harder.
After reviewing soldiers and weapons systems at the ceremony held at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam near the South Korean capital, President Yoon Suk Yeol encouraged the troops to not relent in their training.
“Above all, the cornerstone of our robust national defense lies in your unwavering military spirit, strong commitment, and a clear definition of who your enemies are.”
Yoon Suk Yeol
“I strongly urge you to train hard every day with the discipline demanded in real combat situations,” Yoon added.
Also, the South Korean President warned in his speech that any use of nuclear weapons by the North Korean regime would spell its end.
Yoon called North Korea’s advancing nuclear program “an existential threat to our people,” but said South Korea’s military will immediately retaliate against any North Korean provocation.
Yoon said, “The North Korean regime must realize that nuclear weapons will not keep them safe.”
“If North Korea uses nuclear weapons, its regime will be brought to an end by an overwhelming response from the South Korea-U.S. alliance,” Yoon said.
Yoon also referred to a joint declaration adopted with U.S. President Joe Biden during their summit in April to counter the North Korean nuclear threat, as well as a South Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation framework established during a trilateral summit at Camp David last month.
South Korea To Hold First Large-Scale Military Parade In A Decade
Later on Tuesday, South Korea is scheduled to stage its first large-scale military parade in ten years.
The last parade was in 2013.
In a rare show of force, with weapons and equipment will be rolling through the streets of Seoul.
The parade along a 2km (1.24 mile) route through the capital’s main commercial and business district is will begin at 4pm (07:00 GMT) on Tuesday to mark Armed Forces Day, usually a muted occasion in South Korea.
According to the South Korean defence ministry, the parade will involve around 6,700 troops and 340 pieces of military equipment, including F-35 stealth fighters.
The KF-21, South Korea’s first domestically produced fighter jet, as well as next-generation helicopters and drones will also be on display, it added.
Hyunmoo missiles, one of South Korea’s latest missiles, will be featured at the parade, as well as L-SAM missile interceptors.
Analysts claim that Hyunmoo missiles are an integral part of Seoul’s plans for striking North Korea during a conflict, while the L-SAM is designed to hit incoming missiles at altitudes of between 50 and 60kms (31-37 miles).
The celebrations will also feature a joint flyover by military aircraft from South Korea and the United States to demonstrate their “upgraded” defence posture.
More than 300 combat troops from the Eighth Army, under U.S Forces Korea, will also take part in the parade as the two countries mark the 70th anniversary of their alliance.
LMI Consulting’s Soo Kim, a former CIA analyst, told a news agency that the parade in Seoul “is a not-so-subtle and visually provocative gesture on the part of the South Korean government of telling (North Korean leader) Kim Jong Un that Seoul will not be backing down or looking for ways to reconcile.”
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