"We would definitely use the air force to strike back."
South Korea’s newly designated defense minister threatened to hit back with air strikes and “punish the attacker thoroughly" if North Korea launches any further military assault.
"We would definitely use the air force to strike back," Kim Kwan-Jin said, answering a question at his parliamentary confirmation hearing about what the South's response would be if attacked again.
The North on November 23 fired dozens of shells on a southern island, killing two marines and two civilians.
Following the attack, the South’s military said it did not use air power against the North's gun positions for fear of escalating the situation.
The response was widely seen as feeble and the previous defense minister resigned to take responsibility.
Kim said the South would exercise its right to self-defense and "punish the attacker thoroughly until the source of hostility is eliminated".
But he dismissed the chance of full-scale war as slim, citing the military prowess of South Korean and allied US forces and the North's domestic problems.
"Through the US-South Korea combined forces, we are closely monitoring all signs of possible provocation by the North and our means and assets to restrain and prevent provocations are reliable," he said.
"Therefore, even if we respond harshly to a further provocative act, it would be difficult for the North to escalate it into a full-scale war."
"We would definitely use the air force to strike back," Kim Kwan-Jin said, answering a question at his parliamentary confirmation hearing about what the South's response would be if attacked again.
The North on November 23 fired dozens of shells on a southern island, killing two marines and two civilians.
Following the attack, the South’s military said it did not use air power against the North's gun positions for fear of escalating the situation.
The response was widely seen as feeble and the previous defense minister resigned to take responsibility.
Kim said the South would exercise its right to self-defense and "punish the attacker thoroughly until the source of hostility is eliminated".
But he dismissed the chance of full-scale war as slim, citing the military prowess of South Korean and allied US forces and the North's domestic problems.
"Through the US-South Korea combined forces, we are closely monitoring all signs of possible provocation by the North and our means and assets to restrain and prevent provocations are reliable," he said.
"Therefore, even if we respond harshly to a further provocative act, it would be difficult for the North to escalate it into a full-scale war."
