President Park Geun-hye will host a luncheon with South Korea's top commanders Thursday to encourage them and check the military's readiness amid Pyongyang's continued saber-rattling.
The luncheon at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae will follow a meeting of top officers from all armed services at the Ministry of National Defense. On Wednesday, Pyongyang launched two Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missiles, raising cross-border tensions.
"President Park will invite the commanders who have devoted themselves to ensuring national security and the safety of our citizens while serving in front and rear areas across the nation," presidential spokesman Jung Youn-kuk told reporters.
"At the luncheon, Park will express her confidence in the leadership of the commanders and encourage service members who have toiled to maintain a strengthened readiness posture for a long period," he added.
It will be the fourth time that Park has hosted the luncheon with military leaders.
Touching on the North's missile tests a day earlier, the presidential office reiterated that the launches are a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions banning the North from conducting any tests using ballistic missile technology.
"With regard to (missile tests), we had discussions at the National Security Council yesterday, and I understand that related government agencies are reviewing various measures (in response to the tests)," Jung said.
During a session of the National Unification Advisory Council on Wednesday, President Park Geun-hye called Pyongyang's pursuit of nuclear arms and long-range missiles a "grave provocation" that threatens peace on the Korean Peninsula and beyond.
She also warned that the communist regime would only face deeper international isolation and self-destruction if it continues to push for advancing its nuclear and missile programs. (Yonhap)
