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| ▲ President Yook Suk Yeol (R, in car) makes a military review during a ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary of Armed Forces Day at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, south of Seoul, on Sept. 26, 2023. (Yonhap) |
Yoon-Armed Forces Day
Yoon says S. Korea-U.S. alliance will end N.K. regime in event of nuclear weapons use
By Lee Haye-ah
SEOUL, Sept. 26 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol issued a stern warning against North Korea on Tuesday, saying the regime will be brought to an end by the South Korea-U.S. alliance if it uses nuclear weapons.
Yoon made the remark during a speech marking the 75th Armed Forces Day, which is celebrated on Oct. 1 and commemorates the founding of the country's armed forces.
"The North Korean regime must clearly realize that nuclear weapons will never be able to guarantee its security," he said during a commemorative ceremony held at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just south of the capital, noting the regime has been upgrading its nuclear and missile capabilities in defiance of the international community's warnings and "blatantly threatening" to use nuclear weapons.
"This constitutes an existential threat to our people and a grave challenge to world peace," he continued. "Based on battle-ready combat capabilities and a solid readiness posture, our military will immediately retaliate against any North Korean provocation. 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 also accused the North of human rights violations.
"The North Korean regime's obsession with the development of nuclear weapons aggravates the North Korean people's suffering," he said. "It continues to exploit and oppress its people, and violate their human rights."
Yoon said South Korea will further strengthen security cooperation with the United States and Japan based on its "ironclad" alliance with Washington, and establish a strong security posture by standing in close solidarity with its partner nations.
"On top of this, our people will never be deceived by the fake peace tricks of North Korea's communist regime and its followers," he said.
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