"A strong national defense is a key pillar for protecting the national interest," Lee said during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office, calling for greater speed in building nuclear-powered submarines and advancing missile technologies, including hypersonic weapons.
The remarks came a week after Lee and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed nuclear-powered submarines during a meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The two leaders revisited cooperation on nuclear submarine fuel and other security issues as Seoul seeks to move the program forward.
The push also comes amid advances in North Korea's missile capabilities, including a recent missile test that analysts said appeared to involve a hypersonic glide vehicle.
Lee said South Korea should continue developing and deploying cutting-edge weapons systems based on its own technology to defend the country across land, sea, air and space.
He pointed to the KF-21, South Korea's first domestically developed fighter jet, which was formally delivered to the Air Force last week, as an example of the country's defense capabilities.
Lee said South Korea was one of only eight countries to have independently developed a 4.5-generation fighter, describing the KF-21 program as particularly significant from the standpoint of self-reliant defense.
During the same meeting, Lee addressed the Sept. 21 mine explosion in the western sector of the DMZ, ordering the military to work closely with the United Nations Command to determine what caused the blast.
"The military authorities should closely cooperate with the United Nations Command and quickly and thoroughly investigate the incident to transparently establish the facts," Lee said, adding that the government would take "necessary measures" depending on the findings.
Three South Korean officers were injured in the explosion while troops were operating inside the western DMZ near the Military Demarcation Line.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday that its interim investigation found it "highly likely" that the explosion was caused by a North Korean mine rather than a South Korean one. The military has yet to determine whether the mine was deliberately planted by North Korean forces or had been displaced from another location, a distinction that could affect Seoul's response.
The military has said it would consider corresponding measures if the investigation ultimately concludes that North Korea deliberately planted the mine.
Lee also cautioned against politicizing the incident before the investigation is completed.
"There can be no ruling or opposition party when it comes to national security," Lee said. "I hope there will be no attempt to endanger national security by fueling baseless conspiracy theories regarding this incident."
He also expressed sympathy for the injured service members and their families and wished them a speedy recovery.
AJP Takeaways
- Lee called for faster development of nuclear-powered submarines and hypersonic missiles.
- Seoul is seeking closer U.S. cooperation on its nuclear submarine program.
- Lee also ordered a probe into last week’s DMZ mine blast.
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