New defense minister calls for overwhelming readiness in DMZ visit

PAJU -- South Korea's new Defense Minister, Song Young-moo, on Saturday called for strong and overwhelming military readiness when he met soldiers guarding the heavily armed Korean Demilitarized Zone.

A day after taking office, Song visited the truce village of Panmunjom and met with soldiers from South Korea and US-led United Nations Command protecting the border. 

Song asked soldiers to stably manage the armistice based on a firm South Korea-US alliance, according to South Korea's defense ministry. 

When Song appeared on the southern side of Panmunjom, a North Korean soldier guarding the north side took a photo of the South Korean defense minister.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula remain high after North Korea claimed it had successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile earlier this month.

Despite international sanctions, North Korea has shown no signs of giving up its nuclear and missile programs. (Yonhap)