Seoul
South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Friday called for enhancing the government’s emergency readiness in response to growing threats from North Korea. His statement came during a meeting with central and local government officials to evaluate last month’s four-day Ulchi civil defense exercise, as reported by sources.
Han emphasized the need for swift government action to protect citizens against North Korea’s escalating threats. He urged officials to immediately correct any weaknesses in warning systems and evacuation facilities discovered during the exercise.
The annual drill, held from August 19-22, involved around 580,000 participants across 4,000 government and public institutions. It aimed to strengthen South Korea’s response to wartime scenarios and North Korean provocations, including cyberattacks, GPS jamming, and trash-filled balloon launches. This year, for the first time, the exercise also simulated a North Korean nuclear attack.
The Ulchi exercise began in 1968 after a North Korean commando raid on Seoul’s presidential residence. Meanwhile, North Korea condemned the recent joint military exercise between South Korea and the U.S., warning of severe consequences for what it described as ‘provocative war drills.’
