The nominee to head the Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS), Kim Myung-soo, warned that North Korea could resort to provocation against South Korea to draw attention away from its internal instability.

The Vice Admiral made the assessment during the opening remarks of his parliamentary confirmation hearing on Wednesday. He also said the North appears to be looking to advance its nuclear and missile capabilities through military cooperation with Russia.

During the hearing, the nominee pledged to establish a "leading readiness posture" and "overwhelming capabilities" in line with the president's commanding guidelines and the defense minister's directive intention to ensure a decisive victory. 

He added, should the enemy launch a provocation, the military will immediately and strongly punish them so that the enemy regrets its actions.

Kim also promised to push forward with a planned establishment of a strategic command, which is expected to reinforce the military's three-pronged defense system capability and posture, and realize policy and strategic guidelines for extended deterrence.

Addressing allegations of his child's past involvement in school violence, the nominee apologized to the affected student and their parents, adding that he was not aware of the incident during the initial vetting process.

[Photo : YONHAP News]