President Lee Jae-myung said on the 29th that South Korea must accelerate the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine and the advancement of missile technology, including hypersonic missiles, calling them the key to self-reliant defense. Stressing "a real peace in which there is no need to fight, beyond winning a fight," Lee said the country must continue developing and deploying cutting-edge weapons systems "to defend the air, land, sea and even space like an iron wall with our own technology and capabilities."
Lee made the remarks in his opening address at a Cabinet meeting held at the Blue House, saying that "strong defense capability is a core pillar of protecting the national interest." He also noted that the KF-21, the first fighter jet built by South Korea, was formally delivered to the Air Force last week. "Only eight countries in the world, including ours, have succeeded in independently developing a 4.5-generation fighter jet, which brings together Korea's advanced technologies," he said, adding that the achievement "carries special significance in terms of self-reliant defense."
On the landmine explosion that occurred near the Demilitarized Zone on the western front, Lee said military authorities should transparently establish the facts of the incident through a swift and thorough investigation based on close cooperation with the United Nations Command. "We will take necessary steps in line with the findings," he said, stressing that "there can be no ruling party or opposition when it comes to security." He added, "In particular, I hope no one stirs up groundless conspiracy theories over this matter and puts national security at risk."
