NSC Standing Committee Chaired by National Security Director... "Provocative Acts Cannot Be Justified"

Emergency Meeting After Reporting to President Yoon... "Active Cooperation and Response with Allies Including the US"

On the 16th, one day before President Yoon Suk-yeol's 100th day in office, the Presidential Office building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul is shown. President Yoon, emphasizing the elimination of authoritarianism, moved the stage of state affairs from the former Blue House to Yongsan. With the president's office relocated to Yongsan, the Blue House has been fully opened to the public. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Bae Kyunghwan] On the 25th, the Presidential Office held a Standing Committee meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) chaired by Kim Seong-han, Director of the National Security Office, to discuss response measures to North Korea's missile provocation.

The Presidential Office stated that "Our military detected North Korea's short-range ballistic missile launch this morning, and the National Security Office immediately reported the matter to President Yoon Seok-yeol." It added, "The government held an emergency NSC Standing Committee meeting chaired by Kim Seong-han, Director of the National Security Office, and after receiving a report from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, discussed response measures."

The attendees condemned this ballistic missile launch as a clear violation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions and a provocative act that escalates tensions on the Korean Peninsula and in the region, emphasizing that it cannot be justified for any reason. They also noted that this provocation is the first ballistic missile launch since North Korea officially announced its nuclear force policy legislation on September 8, which formalized the preemptive use of tactical nuclear weapons, and decided to actively respond based on cooperation with the United States and allied countries.

In particular, they reaffirmed a strong determination to neutralize any form of missile provocation by North Korea through the RONALD REAGAN Carrier Strike Group and the upcoming ROK-US joint naval exercises scheduled from the 26th to the 29th, and agreed to strengthen joint defense capabilities.

Meanwhile, the meeting was attended by Director Kim, Foreign Minister Park Jin, Unification Minister Kwon Young-se, Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup, National Intelligence Service Director Kim Kyu-hyun, NSC Secretary-General and First Deputy Director of the Security Office Kim Tae-hyo, and Second Deputy Director of the Security Office Lim Jong-deuk.