Prime minister calls for integrated defense posture

By Shim Sun-ah

SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's prime minister called Friday for the country to establish a full-scale integrated defense posture to safeguard itself from various types of security threats.

"The security environment on the Korean Peninsula demands response to various
types of security threats besides North Korea's military threats," Chung Un-chan
said.
"The (country's) entire people should focus their capability on ensuring national
security in this age of a comprehensive security," he said at a regular meeting
on integrated defense.
Chung, in particular, asked for a watertight security ahead of the Group of 20
(G-20) summit set to open in Seoul this fall, calling it a "great opportunity"
for the country's further development.
"The G-20 summit to be held in November will put South Korea at the center of the
world," he said. "South Korea should establish an integrated defense system where
all elements of national defense are put together in order not to lose the high
chance of becoming a top advanced country."
The meeting discussed ways to set up an all-out defense posture to make the G-20
summit a success and ensure unity of the administrative, military and police
branches as well as civilians in dealing with natural disasters, Chung's office
said.
Some 200 officials, including government ministers, the state intelligence chief,
key military commanding officers and heads of local administrations, also took
part in the meeting.
sshim@yna.co.kr
(END)