JSC chairman urges combat readiness over Lunar New Year holiday

Defense 11:14 January 22, 2023

SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Kim Seung-kyum called military commanders across the nation Sunday and urged them to maintain combat readiness over the Lunar New Year holiday, his office said.

Kim made the phone calls to a border ground observation post battalion commander, a Navy vessel captain, an Air Force senior pilot, a Marine Corps guard captain and a coastal security unit battalion commander.

"Thanks to the service members who are doing their best to fulfill their duties on the front line even during the Seol holiday, the people are able to have confidence in the military and peacefully enjoy the holiday," the chairman was quoted as saying. Seol is the Korean name for Lunar New Year.

Kim asked the commanders to firmly defend the nation and do everything they can to protect the lives and safety of the people with the readiness of "waiting for the enemy while embracing a spear."

"The military readiness posture must always be firmly maintained, and it is especially necessary to establish a 'posture for decisive battle' for completing one's duty through victory against any threat of the enemy and provocation," he was quoted as saying.