South Korea And The United States Complete Defense Strengthening To Prevent Nuclear Threats From North Korea

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (photo: global news)

JAKARTA - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said his country and the United States would complete strengthening the defense posture in the first half of 2024 in order to prevent North Korea's nuclear threat. In his speech welcoming the new year 2024, Yoon stated that the completion of strengthening the defense posture was part of his policy themes that achieved many things, from housing, education and the South Korean economy. "By strengthening the military's capabilities, South Korea will be able to achieve true and lasting peace based on power," Yoon said on the Nikkei Asia website on Monday, January 1. During his tenure Yoon consistently voiced the need to strengthen defense cooperation with the United States as an effort to counter North Korea's growing threat. Last July. Seoul and Washington formed a body called the Nuclear Consultation Group which was said to be a form of US commitment in defending South Korea by using its nuclear weapons stock. The Nuclear Consultation Group held a meeting between the two on December 16 where at that time the US repeated the affirmation that any nuclear attack from North Korea would be rewarded quickly, thoroughly and hard.

Sementara itu, kantor berita Kyodo melaporkan bahwa Pemimpin Korea Utara Kim Jong Un menyatakan 2024 akan menjadi tahun penting untuk persiapan perang.Kim menyebut aksi konfrontatif Amerika Serikat dan Korea Selatan sebagai biang keladi meningkatnya ketegangan di Semenanjung Korea.Dalam pertemuan yang berlangsung di markas besar Partai Buruh Korea yang berkuasa di Korea Utara pada Senin, Kim mengingatkan para komandan militer bahwa Semenanjung Korea kian di ambang konflik bersenjata.Kim memperingatkan jika ada negara yang menyerang atau memprovokasi Korea Utara, maka militer Korea Utara akan membalas dengan kekuatan penuh untuk memusnahkan siapa pun yang menyerang negara ini.