Yun, who took office in May, presided over his first meeting with top military commanders and called for strong capabilities to deter North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, the presidential office said. North Korea has been conducting missile tests at an unprecedented rate this year and is believed to be preparing for its seventh nuclear test. The military meeting came a day after US Air Force F-35A fighter jets arrived in South Korea on their first publicly announced visit since 2017, as the allies and the nuclear-armed North engage in an escalating round of weapons displays. “President Yun said that strong defense capabilities should be ready to protect the country’s security and national interest as security uncertainties surrounding South Korea and Northeast Asia rise more than ever,” according to the presidential office. Last week, Yun met with US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Madrid, and they agreed to explore further means to strengthen “extended deterrence” against North Korea. (Reporting by Soo-hyang Choi; Editing by Shri Navaratnam and Kim Coghill)
