President Yoon: North Korea Will Face Firm Responses To South Korea-US Alliance If Try To Use Nuclear Weapons

President Yoon Suk-yeol on South Korean Armed Forces Day. (Source: Joint Press Corps)

JAKARTA - President Yoon Suk-yeol said on Tuesday North Korea would face the end of its regime if it tried to use nuclear weapons, warning of the "firm and extraordinary" response of his country's alliance with the United States.

That was conveyed by President Yoon in his 76th Armed Forces Day address, after North Korea intensified its nuclear threat with the first public disclosure of its uranium enrichment facility last month.

"Our military will soon respond to North Korea's provocations based on its strong combat capabilities and solid preparedness posture," President Yoon said at a memorial service at Seoul Air Base, Seongnam, as reported by The Korea Times on October 1.

"If North Korea tries to use nuclear weapons, they will face a firm and extraordinary response from our military and the South Korean-US alliance. That day will be the end of the North Korean regime," he added.

President Yoon criticized Pyongyang for threatening South Korea with its nuclear weapons, missiles and other provocations, while ignoring the suffering of its own people.

"After carrying out various kinds of despicable provocations such as sending garbage balloons and GPS abuses, they are now going a step further by claiming the 'two hostile countries' theory, even denying the possibility of reunification," said President Yoon.

On the occasion, President Yoon also urged Leader Kim Jong-un's regime to abandon the "delusi" of nuclear weapons guaranteeing its security, vowing to build a strong military and strengthen security posture based on a strong alliance with the US, as well as trilateral cooperation involving Japan.

"False peace, which is based on enemy goodwill, is just a fatamorgana," said President Yoon.

"History has proven the only way to maintain peace is to strengthen our strength so that the enemy does not dare to challenge us," he added.

About 5,000 soldiers and 340 military equipment, including Hyunmoo surface-to-surface missiles, K9 self-propelled howitzers, and four-legged robots, were mobilized for the ceremony.

What stands out is the Hyunmoo-5, a monster missile known to be capable of carrying a warhead weighing 8-9 tons and capable of destroying an underground bunker.