ⓒYONHAP News

President Yoon Suk Yeol pledged to deter North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and establish more fundamental and practical security capabilities. He also vowed to build a nation where heroes in uniform receive due respect. 

Yoon made the remarks during a ceremony marking the country's 67th Memorial Day held at Seoul National Cemetery on Monday morning.

He said building a proud country where freedom, democracy and human rights flourish is the way to honor the sacrifices of the nation's fallen heroes.

Yoon paid tribute and extended condolences to all those who sacrificed their lives for the country, saying the liberty and peace enjoyed today was achieved through the bravery of patriots and martyrs.

He said it is the state's responsibility to look after the bereaved families of the deceased and promised fair and reasonable standards on compensation. 

The president said that even at this moment, North Korea's nuclear and missile threats are becoming sophisticated enough to threaten peace not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in Northeast Asia and the world.

Yoon said his administration will sternly respond to any North Korean provocation and vowed airtight efforts to safeguard people's lives and property.

With relaxed COVID-19 rules in place, over five-thousand people attended this year's ceremony, including veterans, students and citizens.

Under the slogan "we remember your sacrifices," a nationwide moment of silence was observed at 10 a.m. Commendations were bestowed to a Vietnam War veteran and a Coast Guard officer killed in a helicopter crash in April, as well as the families of other fallen soldiers.

Also on Monday, South Korea and the U.S. fired eight missiles into the East Sea in response to the North’s ballistic missile launches the previous day.

Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the allies fired eight ground-to-ground Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles starting at 4:45 a.m. and lasting for around ten minutes.

South Korea launched seven missiles, and the U.S. one, assuming a scenario in which they hit various targets.

The JCS said the joint firing demonstrated the allies have the capability and posture to launch immediate precision strikes against provocations from the North and their command and support forces, even if North Korea fires missiles from multiple locations.

The JCS added that the military strongly condemns the regime's series of provocations and urges it to immediately stop its tension-raising actions that intensify security concerns on the Korean Peninsula. 

A day later on Tuesday, South Korea and the U.S. conducted a combined air power demonstration, mobilizing F-35A fighter jets.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS) said that 20 warplanes flew in formation over the Yellow Sea in the morning in a demonstration of defense readiness against enemy threats.

The exercise involved four F-16 fighters from the U.S. and 16 South Korean jets, including F-35A stealth fighters equipped with precision-guided weapons, as well as F-15Ks and F-16Ks.

The JCS said the combined flight was held to show the allies are capable and determined to respond to any North Korean provocation with swiftness and accuracy.

It added that the military was monitoring trends indicative of further possible provocations by the North as it maintains airtight defense readiness in close coordination with the U.S.