Joint Chiefs Chairman: "Front-Line Training Essential... We Should Not Proactively Set Aside Our Fighting Spirit"

On October 2, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Jin Youngseung (Air Force General) addressed calls from some quarters to unilaterally suspend preemptive military drills in border areas, stating, "The military must be thoroughly prepared in order to maintain composure, so it is only natural to conduct training at the front lines." He added, "We must not be the only ones to preemptively relinquish our fighting spirit."

Yonhap News Agency

Chairman Jin made these remarks during his first visit to the press room at the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, since taking office. In response to the calls from Unification Minister Chung Dongyoung and others to preemptively halt border area drills, he said, "While I believe the military should actively support trust-building measures if they are deemed necessary as a matter of policy, true, inclusive trust-building is only possible when the military is prepared with determination and fighting spirit."

Chairman Jin stated, "It is necessary to ease tensions and prevent accidental clashes between the two Koreas," and added, "If, in the future, the restoration of the September 19 inter-Korean military agreement is realized and implemented reciprocally, then suspending border area drills within that framework for the sake of easing tensions could certainly be considered."

Chairman Jin also commented on Unification Minister Chung's remarks during a press conference held in Germany on September 29 (local time), where Chung stated, "North Korea has become one of the three countries capable of striking the U.S. mainland." Jin responded, "During my confirmation hearing, I already noted that North Korea's reentry technology is not yet perfect." A Joint Chiefs official added, "North Korea has not yet tested intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) reentry technology, so our position remains unchanged."

Previously, Defense Minister Ahn Kyubaek also expressed a negative view on Minister Chung's proposal to unilaterally suspend border area drills during a press conference on September 30. He stated, "Soldiers must train," and added, "It is not appropriate to unilaterally suspend training."