Yoon warns against 'reckless forces' in rare visit to Indo-Pacific Command

President Yoon Suk Yeol issued a stern warning against "reckless forces" as he stressed that illegal arms deals between North Korea and Russia threaten global peace in a rare visit to the Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii on Tuesday.

President Yoon Suk Yeol gives an address with hundreds of military personnel looking on during a visit to the Indo-Pacific Command's headquarters in Camp Smith, Hawaii, on Tuesday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Yoon Suk Yeol issued a stern warning against "reckless forces" as he stressed that illegal arms deals between North Korea and Russia threaten global peace in a rare visit to the Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii on Tuesday.

"North Korea, through its illegal arms trade with Russia, is threatening peace not only on the Korean Peninsula but around the world," Yoon said in an address to military personnel at the command at Camp H.M. Smith. "To protect our freedom, democracy and economic prosperity from such reckless forces, solidarity between countries that share values along with strong power is essential."

This marks the first visit to the command, which was renamed the Indo-Pacific in 2018, by a South Korean president in 29 years. Then-President Kim Young-sam visited the Pacific Command, its predecessor, in 1995.

Yoon was greeted by Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander of Indo-Pacific Command, and Gen. Paul LaCamera, commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USKF) and other American military brass at the command.

He was first received in a welcome ceremony and later given a security briefing at the United States' oldest and largest unified combatant command on the security situation and defense posture on the Korean Peninsula from Paparo.

Yoon was also given a classified tour of the Joint Operations Center.

The Indo-Pacific Command is one of the U.S. military's six geographic combatant commands. It is responsible for security in the Indo-Pacific region, including overseeing the 28,500-strong U.S. troop presence in South Korea.

Yoon also awarded Paparo, a U.S. Navy admiral, the Tongil Medal, the highest class in the Order of National Security Merit, on Tuesday, the presidential office said.

Paparo was awarded for his "contributions to strengthening the combined defense posture while serving as commander of the Pacific Fleet" ahead of becoming chief of the Indo-Pacific Command.

Yoon stressed as he presented the medal, "North Korea's advancement of nuclear and missile capabilities and continuous provocations are harming the security of the Korean Peninsula and the region, thus a firm joint defense posture between Korea and the United States is more important than ever."

In a speech to encourage some 400 troops at the command, Yoon stressed the importance of trilateral cooperation between Seoul, Washington and Tokyo in response to Pyongyang and Moscow's closer relations.

Yoon noted that last month, Pyongyang and Moscow signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty strengthening military and economic cooperation, further deepening the concerns of the international community.

"The North Korean regime has advanced its nuclear and missile capabilities and legislated the pre-emptive use of nuclear weapons while ignoring the misery of its people," he said.

He stressed that steadfast combined defense readiness between South Korea and the United States, along with cooperation with other partners, is more critical than ever in light of the North's growing security threats.

Yoon said that "strong capabilities based on solid commitments and cooperation are the driving force that firmly protects a rules-based regional order" and that the command provides the foundation for this.

He recalled Freedom Edge, the first multi-domain military exercise between South Korea, the United States and Japan, held in waters off the coast of Jeju Island last month, was a result of the historic trilateral summit in Camp David in August last year.

Likewise, the U.S.-led Rim of the Pacific Exercise, or Rimpac, the largest annual international maritime exercise involving some 29 countries, including South Korea, is underway in waters around Hawaii.

South Korea's Navy deployed warships, including the Aegis-equipped destroyer ROKS Yulgok Yi I and ROKS Lee Beom-seok submarine, as well as some 840 troops, for the drills, which began on June 26 and runs to Aug. 29.

Yoon, during the visit, discussed regional security cooperation and "evaluated the operational activities in the Indo-Pacific" during a classified tour of the Joint Operations Center, the command said in a statement.

It added that the visit to its headquarters was one of several engagements "demonstrating the deep friendship between the two countries and reaffirming the ironclad commitment" to the South Korea-U.S. alliance.

On Monday, Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee arrived in Hawaii for a five-day visit to the United States, marking their second overseas trip this year.

They later departed for Washington, where Yoon is scheduled to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit and bilateral and multilateral meetings on Wednesday and Thursday.

On the sidelines of the NATO events, Yoon plans to hold bilateral meetings with more than 10 countries, including Japan, Germany and Britain, according to the presidential office. These meetings may provide an opportunity for Yoon to share his concerns about military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]