Yoon Suk-yeol, the president of South Korea on Wednesday, presided over a meeting of the country's top commanders for the first time since entering office. Yoon gave the military the order to rapidly punish North Korea in the event of provocations.

Following Yoon's meeting with the commanders of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps at the Gyeryongdae military headquarters, 160 kilometres south of Seoul, the president "ordered our military to swiftly and firmly punish North Korea in the event that it carries out a provocation." He emphasised that the military's duty is to vigorously demonstrate our will to uphold the people's right to life, property, territory, and sovereignty at any costs.

Since Yoon took office in May, North Korea has conducted a number of short- to long-range missile tests and has shown signs of getting ready for what would be its seventh nuclear test, according to the Yonhap news agency.

Yoon has offered to leave the door open for conversation with Pyongyang while also making it clear that any provocation will be addressed with a firm and united response from South Korea in close cooperation with the United States.

"President Yoon highlighted that we must ensure a strong defence capability to defend the country's security and national interest at a time when security uncertainties in the Republic of Korea and in Northeast Asia are developing more and more than ever." the presidential office said. 

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