South Korean President Lee vows to build smart, independent military through defence reforms

Seoul, Sep 21 (IANS) South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Sunday pledged to undertake powerful defence reforms to build a smart and independent military that can protect the country from any invasion, instead of relying on the sheer number of troops.

"While it is true that the population issue is serious and troop resources for the near term are insufficient, there is no need to worry about our defence capabilities by simply comparing the number of regular troops," Lee wrote in a post on his Facebook account.

"Fifty people equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) combat robots, autonomous drones and precision attack and defence missile systems can cope with tens of thousands of enemies," Lee said, calling for a transition to a "smart" and professional military armed with advanced technologies, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Drawing a comparison with North Korea's defence capabilities, Lee noted that South Korea has a 2.6 million reserve force that stands ready to enter combat anytime, while stressing the country ranks fifth globally in terms of defence capabilities.

Lee called for further increasing defence spending and building a smart military, while nurturing the country's arms industry and strengthening security diplomacy to build a country that will never be invaded.

He underscored the importance of achieving powerful and autonomous defence capabilities at a time when the world is heading toward armed conflicts after one of the longest periods of peace and co-existence in the history of humanity.

Lee, meanwhile, dismissed what he called a "submissive" attitude that such defence capabilities are not feasible without foreign forces.

Earlier this week, Lee said that he will continue to take steps to establish permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula through efforts for dialogue and cooperation with North Korea.

He made the remarks in a Facebook posting to mark the seventh anniversary of an inter-Korean military agreement that halted hostile acts along the border at that time.

"The government will fulfil its responsibility step by step, together with the people, to restore the spirit of the Sept. 19 military agreement and establish permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and cooperation," Lee wrote.

Lee reaffirmed his commitment to peace after years of confrontation that have effectively nullified the military accord aimed at reducing tensions, stressing his administration has taken practical steps since taking office in June.

“Peace is the basic foundation for democracy and economic development,” he wrote, explaining that this is why he ordered the halt of loudspeakers along the border and the flying of propaganda leaflets toward the North.

He reiterated the three principles outlined in his Liberation Speech last month, though Pyongyang has dismissed his peace overtures.

“I pledged to respect the North Korean system, not to pursue unification by absorption and have no intention of carrying out hostile acts, and the pledge remains valid,” he noted.

Lee said the government will work to protect border-area residents from sleepless nights caused by military tensions, economic risks from military confrontation, and threats to democracy posed by "forces that exploit the divided peninsula."

--IANS

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