South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reaffirmed on Aug. 21 a policy of ‘Act first, report later’ which the Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin called for while visiting a front-line military unit in March this year in light of the heightened inter-Korean tension followed by the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island by North Korea last year.
“Based on ‘Active Deterrence Strategy’ concept that was created after the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island, South Korean military is deterring the North’s further provocations by maintaining strong readiness,” said an official at JCS.
According to the official, the ‘Active Deterrence Strategy’ concept is aimed at annihilate enemy’s will of further provocations by strongly retaliate source of attacks and supporting groups under the right of self-defense. In other words, it is a basic principle that highlights ‘Act first, report later’ policy in order to counter enemy’s attack immediately and guarantees field commanders’ usage of the right of self-defense if enemy attacks.
“Currently, JCS is reflecting the new concept to operational plans so that field commanders can wield the right of self-defense with right determinations,” the official said. “Timely military action is an essential requirement to seize the initiative on battlefields and end conflicts with victory.”