President Yoon hosts '75th Armed Forces Day Celebration'

On Sept. 26, President Yoon hosted the 75th Armed Forces Day ceremony at Seoul International Airport. This year's Armed Forces Day celebration was the largest in a decade since 2013, with more than 6,700 troops and 200 pieces of equipment participating, and overseas troops from South Sudan's Hanbit and the UAE's Ark Corps participated in the ceremony via video. He expressed his respect and gratitude to the members of the Armed Forces, the deployed soldiers who are serving for world peace in faraway countries, and the veterans, elders and reservists who have defended the free Republic of Korea. He also expressed his deepest gratitude to the U.S. Armed Forces in Korea, who have contributed to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and have built the 70-year history of the U.S.-ROK alliance. "For the past 75 years since its founding, the Armed Forces of Korea has fulfilled its mission by taking on the enormous responsibility of national defense as the last line of defense for a free and democratic Korea. From its humble beginnings after Korea's liberation, when it lacked proper weapons, the Armed Forces has grown into a world power that is feared by its enemies and trusted by its people. During the Korean War, countless young men and women from the free world rushed to defend the freedom of Korea, and now our young men and women are deployed to defend freedom and peace around the world. I am immensely proud to be Commander-in-Chief. While the North Korean regime is obsessed with developing nuclear weapons, the suffering of the North Korean people continues, and the regime's theft, repression, and human rights abuses against its people continue. The North Korean regime must realize that nuclear weapons will not protect its security. If North Korea uses nuclear weapons, the overwhelming response of the U.S.-ROK alliance will end the regime.

Based on the U.S.-ROK alliance, we will further strengthen trilateral security cooperation and work closely with our allies to establish a strong security posture. We recently established the Drone Operations Command to oversee operations in response to North Korea's drone provocations. As our military builds up its overwhelming response capabilities and retaliatory posture, including the Korean Tri-Axis system, we will create a Strategic Command to integrate and command our strategic assets. The source of our strong national defense is our soldierly spirit and unwavering adversarial attitude, and we will continue to strive for realistic training. The U.S.-ROK alliance has evolved into a nuclear-based alliance. Through the U.S.-ROK Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG), we will build an integrated response system that combines U.S. nuclear assets with our non-nuclear assets. We will expand our cooperation into the space and cyber domains and enhance joint exercises and training. The Camp David trilateral cooperation system will further strengthen the North Korean nuclear deterrent. We know from history that only a strong military can ensure true peace. The people's trust and affection for the armed forces is essential to building a strong army. As Commander-in-Chief, I will do my best to build a strong military that strikes fear into the hearts of our enemies and confidence into the hearts of our people."

President Yoon visits GOP frontline unit in Army's 25th Division

On the afternoon of Oct. 1, the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Korea and the 70th anniversary of the signing of the U.S.-ROK Mutual Defense Treaty, President Yoon visited the Army's 25th Infantry Division on the front lines of the Western Front to inspect its solid military readiness and praise the soldiers for their efforts in vigilant operations. He left a guestbook with the words "Proud and strong of the 25th Division of the Rising Sun Army" and received a report on the status of military readiness from Major General Choi Sung-jin at the division observatory. He was told that this was the first area where North Korea's tunnels were discovered, briefed on the situation at the time of the discovery, and asked detailed questions about the status of the frontline, including the armistice line and the propulsion fence. He also observed the North Korean army's outposts through a telescope. He encouraged the 30 or so soldiers on the front lines and urged them to maintain a constant state of readiness. He visited a guard post and spent time interacting with the soldiers on the front lines. He said "I know that your welfare and living conditions are better than they were in the past, but I'm still concerned that it's not as easy for you to adjust and perform your duties for the people. As commander-in-chief, I need to do a better job of making sure you're as combat-ready as possible." He visited the living quarters shared by nine soldiers, inspected the condition of the beds, futons, and other living facilities, and said, "I hope you take care of your health." He encouraged the troops and left the unit.