In an attempt to wipe out concerns over possible contingencies after the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin told the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 20 that the South’s military will be in full alert as usual and is fully prepared to conduct operations in case of emergencies.
Speaking to the National Assembly’s defense committee on prepared military countermeasures following an abrupt death of Kim Jong-il, Kim Kwan-jin told lawmakers of the committee that Seoul is monitoring Pyongyang closely and respond to any suspicious movements with calmness.
South Korean military has already raised its alert status by one notch, from level 3 to 2 as of 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 19. North Korean state-run media announced the death of Kim Jong-il at 12 p.m. According to the announcement, the leader of a reclusive state had died from a heart attack on a train while on his way to field inspection at 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 17.
Upon the announcement of Kim Jong-il’s death, the Minister of National Defense in Seoul also ordered all commanding officers nationwide to stay in full alert and strengthen morale education and training on troops in order to be in complete readiness in case of contingencies.
In the meantime, Kim Kwan-jin had a phone conversation with his U.S. counterpart Leon Panetta at 1 a.m. the next day and discussed situation on the Korean Peninsula and bilateral cooperative measures in the wake of the Kim Jong-il’s death. South Korean defense chief explained current situation on the peninsula and South Korean military’s countermeasures. The two sides agreed to maintain close cooperative system while making firm bilateral military readiness in order to ensure stable management of security matters on the peninsula.
South Korean Army Gen. Jung Seung-jo, chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul, had an emergency video conference with his U.S. counterpart Gen. Martin Dempsey at around 11 p.m. on Dec. 19 and discussed current situation on the Korean Peninsula and agreed upon strong joint military readiness while sharing intelligence closely. Jung also held an urgent meeting with Gen. James Thurman, commander of South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Korea, and discussed ways to strengthen monitoring and intelligence-sharing activities on North Korea.
A senior defense official at the ministry said that North Korean military has reinforced its alert status, similar to the one during the death of Kim Il Sung, the founder of the recalcitrant regime and the father of Kim Jong-il back, in 1994 and many frontline units seemed to have put their national flag at half-staff.
The official, however, said no specific or suspicious movements have been discerned so far.