President Lee Jae Myung said achieving a self-reliant national defense is the "most basic of basics" amid an increasingly unstable international security environment.

In a social media post Saturday, the president referenced a media report on the newly released United States National Defense Strategy, which states that South Korea is capable of taking the lead in deterring North Korea with limited but essential U.S. support.

Lee said it would be inconceivable for South Korea to be unable to defend itself, noting that the country spends 1.4 times North Korea's gross domestic product on defense and maintains the world's fifth‑largest military.

He added that a strong, self-reliant defense posture and peace on the Korean Peninsula are key to sustaining economic growth.

The message came a day after the U.S. Department of Defense released the 2026 National Defense Strategy, which calls for South Korea to assume primary responsibility for its defense.