Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

President Yoon received report and instructed the NSC

Stressed that “We must fully be prepared prepare for further provocations”

NSC strongly condemned the “violation of UN Security Council resolutions”

Joint Chiefs of Staff said, there will be an “overwhelming response to any provocations”

On August 24, Cho Tae-yong, Director of the National Security Office (second from left), presides over an emergency standing committee meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) regarding North Korea's space launch vehicle at the Office of the President in Yongsan, Seoul. Provided by Office of the President

On August 24, following North Korea's provocation with a space launch vehicle presumed to be a ballistic missile, the Office of National Security held an emergency standing committee meeting of the NSC. The committee strongly condemned North Korea’s launch as “a grave violation of UN Security Council resolutions.”

After being informed about the results of the NSC standing committee meeting, President Yoon Suk Yeol instructed detailed implementation of the agreements made during the Korea-US-Japan summit at Camp David. These included "real-time sharing of missile warning information, cooperation in missile defense, and regular trilateral exercises." President Yoon added, “These analysis results need to be shared with the United States and Japan, and we must be fully prepared for further provocations.”

Earlier, on August 24 at 3:50 a.m., the Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that North Korea fired a space launch vehicle to the south from Dongchang-ri, Pyeonganbuk-do. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said, “Our military had already detected the signs of North Koreas firing a presumed space launch vehicle and was ready, and upon launch, it was immediately spotted and tracked, and we assessed that it was a failure.”

The Office of National Security immediately reported to President Yoon, and held emergency NSC standing committee meeting at 6:00 a.m. where Gen. Kim Seung-kyum, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reported the situation. NSC standing committee members noted that this launch represents a serious violation of UN Security Council resolutions banning any launch by North Korea using ballistic missile technology.

They noted that North Korea failed again in launching a so-called space launch vehicle following a failed launch in May, and deplored the North Korea regime, which is shunning responsibility for its economic malaise, which is deteriorating livelihoods and driving residents to famine and death, and wasting already insufficient resources on reckless provocations.

NSC members agreed that North Korea must pay the price for the repeated violations of the UN Security Council resolutions. They pledged to strengthen cooperation between Korea, the United States, and Japan to block illegal acts such as the exploitation of North Korean workers overseas, cyber hacking, and maritime smuggling, and to actively cooperate with the international community.

The emergency NSC standing committee meeting was attended by Director of the National Security Office Cho Tae-yong, Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin, Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho, Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup, National Intelligence Service Chief Kim Kyou-hyun, NSC Secretary Kim Tae-hyo, and the Second Deputy Director of the National Security Office Lim Jong-deuk.

Meanwhile, the Joint Chiefs of Staff reiterated, “Our military will maintain a firm readiness posture with overwhelming response capabilities to counter North Korea's provocations as the South Korean and US military conducts the exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) with a strong combined defense posture.”

By Chul-Hwan, Kim < droid001@dema.mil.kr >

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