President Yoon Presides over First National Security Council and Condemns North Korean Missile Launch as "Serious Provocation"

President Yoon Suk-yeol presides over a National Security Council (NSC) meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan on the morning of May 25. The meeting took place after North Korea launched ballistic missiles and was the first NSC meeting that President Yoon personally presided over. Courtesy of the Office of the 20th President

On May 25, President Yoon Suk-yeol defined North Korea’s launch of a missile believed to be an inter-continental ballistic missile and a short-range ballistic missile as serious provocation and fiercely condemned the North’s action.

This morning, President Yoon expressed such views while presiding over a National Security Council (NSC) meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan. This was the first NSC meeting that President Yoon presided over since his inauguration, and the meeting was held for an hour from 7:35 a.m. The president convened the NSC meeting immediately after receiving a report on the North Korean missile launch this day.

According to the Office of the 20th President, meeting participants defined the latest missile launch by North Korea as “a violation of UN Security Council resolutions and serious provocation raising tensions on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia and threatening international peace” and fiercely denounced the action by North Korea. The official from the presidential office explained that they also noted the fact that the latest provocation from North Korea took place just before U.S. President Joe Biden arrived in the U.S. following the summit with the South Korean leader.

President Yoon instructed his officials to closely cooperate with related countries and the international community based on South Korea-U.S. cooperation and thoroughly implement international sanctions on North Korea including the UN Security Council resolutions. The presidential office conveyed that the president particularly asked his officials to “constantly maintain preparedness to prevent any gaps in the security of the Republic of Korea and implement practical measures, such as the execution of extended deterrence and the strengthening of ROK-US combined defense posture, to which the leaders of the two countries agreed.”

After the National Security Council meeting, the government released a separate statement and said, “North Korea’s launch of (what is suspected as) an inter-continental ballistic missile and a short-range ballistic missile is an illegal act that squarely violates UN Security Council resolutions and is serious provocation that threatens peace on the Korean Peninsula and the international community,” and added, “The government strongly condemns the act.” The government continued and said, “North Korea’s continuing provocation can only result in stronger and swifter ROK-US combined deterrence, and North Korea is only isolating itself from the international community,” and stated, “Grounded on a firm ROK-US alliance, we will take practical measures to ensure the security of the Republic of Korea and the safety of our people.” The government urged North Korea “to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions and to cooperate in talks to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula.”

In addition to President Yoon and Director of National Security Kim Sung-han, Chief of Staff Kim Dae-ki, Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin, Minister of Unification Kwon Young-se, Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-sup, First Deputy Director of National Security Kim Tae-hyo, Second Deputy Director of National Security Shin In-ho, and First Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service Kwon Chun-taek attended this day’s NSC meeting.