YOON ORDERS RETALIATION FOR NK PROVOCATION

[Anchor Lead]

Regarding North Korea violating South Korea’s airspace using UAVs, President Yoon Suk Yeol called on his aides to strike back against any North Korean provocation without hesitation and fear and urged for “unequivocal retribution”. In response to the presidential office's stance to take retaliatory measures having military escalation in mind, the main opposition Democratic Party immediately criticized the move saying that it will cause a great deal of anxiety to the public.

[Pkg]

"Retaliate firmly to any North Korean provocations". That's President Yoon's instructions to his staff in relation to Pyongyang's recent drone provocation. Yoon believes that retribution and punishment are the surest ways to suppress North Korea's provocations.

[Soundbite] Kim Eun-hye(Senior pres. secretary for press affairs) : "The president stressed that we must not be afraid of North Korea or hesitate just because it has nuclear weapons."

President Yoon even mentioned the North's nuclear weapons when calling for a strong response and repeatedly stressed retaliation. The presidential office says Yoon has ordered to mobilize two or three South Korean drones for every North Korean unmanned aerial vehicle crossing the inter-Korean border, and if necessary, to bring down the North Korean drones. The presidential office added his instructions to take retaliatory measures were made with military escalation in mind. Sources say Yoon reprimanded the defense minister for the lack of anti-drone training when the military made an interim report. Regarding Yoon's failure to convene a National Security Council meeting, the presidential office said the situation was on par with a military operation and there was no need to hold a meeting because the presidential staff updated Yoon on the developments and received his orders whenever necessary. On Thursday, Yoon visited the Agency for Defense Development to check on the missile development. The opposition camp blasted the president for saying he had military escalation in mind while convening no NSC meeting when the airspace in the capital region was so easily penetrated by North Korean drones. The opposition added, it was an extremely dangerous situation with both sides sending their drones across the inter-Korean border and causing a great deal of anxiety to the public.

[Soundbite] Lee Jae-myung(Chair, Democratic Party) : "The president, who is responsible for national security, does not realize the seriousness of the situation at all."

The opposition strongly condemned North Korea for violating the inter-Korean military agreement and issued a stern warning.