JCS chief urges firm readiness against N.K. threats in border islands visit

SEOUL, April 29 (Yonhap) — South Korea’s top military officer on Tuesday called for vigilance against North Korea’s threats as he inspected the military’s readiness posture during a visit to border islands in the Yellow Sea, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

JCS Chairman Adm. Kim Myung-soo made the call as he visited the islands of Baengnyeong and Yeonpyeong near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) — the de facto inter-Korean maritime boundary – earlier in the day, according to his office.

“Units at the northwestern border islands are front-line units that first face the enemy’s provocation,” Kim was quoted as saying, calling on troops to “maintain a posture that can instantly and firmly respond to any provocation by the enemy.”

The JCS chief also urged troops to protect the lives and properties of the South Korean people by actively responding to illegal fishing by Chinese vessels during peak crabbing season.

The top military officer’s inspection came as North Korea has been seeking to bolster its naval capabilities, with leader Kim Jong-un attending a launching ceremony for a new 5,000-ton multipurpose destroyer last week.