South Korean President Park Geun Hye Visits Front line Army On Christmas Eve; Leader Checks Military Preparedness Against North Korea
South Korean leader Park Geun Hye visited a front line military base on Christmas eve to inspect its preparedness against rival North Korea. KBS reported Thursday that the South Korean president made an unusual visit in the Army's 28th Division in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province on the 24th of December.
During her visit, Park studied the situation of the front line army and encouraged the soldiers to perform their duties of national defense. Aside from that, the leader reportedly commended the servicemen for their "resolute" retort to the attacks of North Korea last August 20, according to presidential spokesman Jeong Yeon Guk.
"I want the military to have confidence and maintain watertight combat readiness against North Korea's provocations," Park said, as noted by Yonhap News Agency Thursday.
"I will always rely on the military's judgment on and response to North Korean provocations or any other emergency situations."
The leader was also quoted saying that South Korea's door is "always open" for talks with its rival North Korea.
"The door is always open for dialogue with North Korea," Park said, as reported by UPI on the same day. "But inter-Korea relations can move forward, and the foundation for peace and unification is possible only if we stand by the principle of military preparedness."
She added that the 28th Division played a vital role in security when the tensions between the two Koreas escalated in August after landmine explosions harmed two South Korean military men.
According to reports, Park's recent visit in the frontline army base in Yeoncheon is the second time since she became the president of South Korea.
Further reports have revealed that Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Lee Sun Jin has told the front line commanders to keep tight combat preparedness against the unexpected military provocations of North Korea.
