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Air Force calls for total preparedness amid tensions with N. Korea

June 19, 2020

South Korea’s Air Force chief on Friday called for a heightened state of preparedness by all units amid concerns over possible military action by North Korea.

In a senior commanders’ meeting held in Seoul, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Won In-choul stressed that the security situation facing the country is serious. He made it clear that if a provocation occurs, all Air Force units must respond swiftly and decisively.

“There must be no letup in terms of maintaining unwavering readiness,” the four-star general told his subordinate officers.

South Korea’s armed forces have been placed on alert as inter-Korean tensions have reached high levels after North Korea threatened to thwart all joint projects and launch military action against what it called an enemy, citing the South’s failure to stop defectors from launching leaflets criticizing its leader.

On Tuesday, the North blew up the inter-Korean liaison office in the border town of Kaesong, a symbol of reconciliation and an achievement of the Panmunjom Declaration by President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in 2018.

Won and other top commanders also touched on ways to ensure that the novel coronavirus does not spread among the Air Force’s ranks.

The chief of staff and his staff took part in the gathering with front-line unit commanders via teleconference.