Chairman Kim Myung-soo of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited naval field units, including the submarine command and the Jinhae base command in Jinhae-gu, Changwon, South Gyeongsang province, on the 15th, to check the readiness posture, the Joint Chiefs of Staff reported. This field visit by Chairman Kim was made in response to the recently heightened maritime security threats.
First, Chairman Kim visited the country’s first 8,200-ton AEGIS destroyer, the Jeongjo Dae-wang. He emphasized, "I hope to master the operational capabilities of weapons systems and equipment to preemptively deter and respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and conduct substantive power training."
After visiting the submarine command, Chairman Kim, after receiving a report on key issues, said, "We must eliminate the enemy's will to provoke by maintaining a firm combat will and operational posture even in extreme situations." He then visited the Jinhae base command and the Navy special warfare unit, stressing the need to be firmly prepared.
Afterward, he boarded the Dosan Ahn Chang-ho and checked the operational readiness of the vessel. On site, Chairman Kim stated, "I could feel your pride and passion for your duties and roles, and I have developed a strong belief that any mission can be accomplished," and expressed gratitude for the dedicated efforts of the captain and all crew members.
In addition, Chairman Kim boarded the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft delivered to the Navy last year, received a report on the status of its active deployment, and commanded operations in the area.