Lee Jong-seop: "North Korean Missiles Not Considered a Matter to Report Directly to President Yoon"

Defense Minister nominee Lee Jong-seop is attending the confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly on the 4th and taking the witness oath. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop recently commented on North Korea's ballistic missile launches, stating, "I judged that it was not a matter requiring the President's direct instructions or decisions, and the National Security Office Chief consulted with related agencies and issued an external message."

On the 17th, during the National Assembly Defense Committee plenary session, when Kim Byung-joo of the Democratic Party asked if the President was reported to immediately after the launch, Minister Lee replied, "Given the nature of the matter, I did not consider it an issue for the Defense Minister to report directly to the President," implying that he did not report directly.

He added, "Reports are made to the President, but whether the Defense Minister does it directly or through the National Security Office Chief, who is a staff member," and clarified, "(In this case) the National Security Office Chief reported to the President."

Regarding the ballistic missiles launched at the time, Minister Lee explained, "They were three 600mm Bangsajo (the North Korean term for multiple launch rocket systems)." The 600mm Bangsajo refers to the KN-25, a short-range ballistic missile for use against South Korea, which North Korea calls the 'super-large Bangsajo.' Although named 'Bangsajo' (rocket), it is classified as a ballistic missile.

Furthermore, Minister Lee stated that among the 4 to 6-tube super-large Bangsajo developed by North Korea, a test launch was conducted from the 5-tube launcher (with five launch tubes), which had never been launched before, and that firing three missiles consecutively was a first.

On the same day, some criticism was raised in the National Assembly regarding the fact that only a 'National Security Office inspection meeting' was held at the time of the launch, rather than a National Security Council (NSC) meeting. Min Hong-chul, a member of the Defense Committee from the Democratic Party, pointed out, "I don't know if it's because the government is in its early stages, but I think the procedures and systems of the National Security Office have not yet been established."

North Korea launched three short-range ballistic missiles consecutively into the East Sea at 6:29 p.m. on the 12th, just two days after President Yoon took office.

At that time, the National Security Office held an inspection meeting chaired by National Security Office Chief Kim Sung-han and stated, "Participants pointed out that North Korea's repeated missile launches are provocative acts that escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia and seriously threaten international peace and security, and they strongly condemned them."