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JCS chairman vows firm readiness following North Korea's military parade

Published: 14 Oct. 2025, 14:40

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Jin Young-seung speaks during a National Assembly National Defense Committee audit on Oct. 14 at the Joint Chiefs of Staff headquarters in central Seoul. [YONHAP]

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) pledged to ensure a robust readiness posture against security threats, including the North's display of new weapons systems during a recent military parade.

The remarks by JCS Chairman Gen. Jin Yong-sung came days after North Korea showcased its latest Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) under development and other modernized weapons systems during a military parade held in Pyongyang last week.

"North Korea's nuclear and missile capabilities are advancing and [the North] flaunted the development of key weapons systems such as the ICBM and hypersonic glide missile during last week's military parade marking the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea," Jin said in his opening remarks for a parliamentary audit session.

"By strengthening strategic alignment with Russia and North Korea, it gravely threatens peace on the Korean Peninsula as well as global peace," he said.

In a report submitted to lawmakers ahead of the audit session, the JCS said it is seeking to hold the South Korea-U.S. Military Committee Meeting (MCM) in Seoul early next month.

The MCM, attended by the top military officers of the two countries, usually takes place ahead of the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM), an annual meeting of the defense chiefs of the two nations.

In a parliamentary audit session held Monday, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said the SCM is set to take place in Seoul after he visits Malaysia for the Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus in early November, also set to be attended by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Alliance issues are set to top the agenda in the bilateral meetings, such as the modernization of their alliance and the transition of wartime operational control from Washington to Seoul.

Yonhap