Defense minister to warn N. Korea on battle anniversary
Defense Minister Han Min-koo said Sunday he will attend a ceremony this week to commemorate those who were killed in an inter-Korean naval clash 13 years ago.
The ceremony will be held Monday on the anniversary of the naval skirmish that broke out off South Korea's border island of Yeonpyeong, leaving six South Korean sailors dead and 18 others injured.
"The greatest respectful treatment by a state is to remember and commemorate (the victims) at every opportunity," Han said during a lunch meeting with reporters.
Han plans to deliver a commemorative speech, which will also include a strong message of warning to North Korea, a government source said on condition of anonymity.
Defense ministers of the past have attended some of the previous years' anniversary ceremonies to accompany either the prime minister or president at the time, but it will be the first time for a defense minister to deliver a commemorative speech.
The move apparently reflects the public's growing interest in the battle following the recent release of a film depicting it.
"The film production of the Battle of Yeonpyeong has made the public well aware of it, so we plan to use this opportunity to reflect on its meaning," a military official said.
The movie, "Northern Limit Line," surpassed 1 million viewers earlier in the day, according to its distributor NEWS.
After watching the film on its opening day Wednesday, Han said it is important to remember and honor those who sacrificed their lives for their country.
On North Korea, the defense minister said the communist country could carry out a provocation "at the strategic level" around the 70th anniversary of the foundation of its ruling Workers' Party on Oct. 10.
"The expansion of the missile launch site (in Dongchang-ri, North Pyongan Province) hasn't been completed yet," he said. "It appears that it will be completed by October."
Such threats from the North have created the conditions for defense talks between South Korea and Japan, but any decision on a bilateral defense ministers' meeting will depend on the two countries' overall ties, Han said.
Relations between South Korea and Japan have only recently begun to show signs of a thaw following years of tensions over disputes related to their shared history.
Meanwhile, the ruling Saenuri Party also plans to mark the anniversary of the naval skirmish to raise public awareness of security issues, according to party officials.
Chairman Kim Moo-sung and other members of the party's leadership plan to attend Monday's anniversary ceremony and meet with the families of those who were killed in the battle.
They also plan to watch the film, together with some 90 young party staff members. (Yonhap)
(责任编辑:新闻中心)
- NYT mini crossword answers for August 29
- 我能在这个服务区玩一天
- 职场性骚扰 单位有责任预防
- 预防打击洗钱犯罪 维护我市经济社会安全稳定
- 23 Peculiar Places of 2023
- 垃圾箱受损城市“颜值”降低
- 社会力量全参与 同心发展齐奔康
- 孝敬老人扬美德 爱护孩子正家风
- Tesla considers adding a new ‘stuck detection' feature to Cybertruck. Here’s why.
- 南农晨读|红荔奖,决赛见!
- 加大项目谋划储备为“十四五”发展积蓄动能
- 开展预防性侵知识巡讲 保护未成年人安全健康成长
- We Bought the Cheapest DDR5 RAM Modules We Could Find, Are They Any Good?
- 热烈祝贺!姚辉德等人当选中国畜牧业协会猪业分会会长