Joint Chiefs of Staff chief Gen. Lee Sun-jin on Wednesday warned North Korea against escalating cross-border tension through nuclear and missile threats, pledging to beef up the South’s deterrence and take stern punishment in case of another provocation.

At his inauguration ceremony, the newly minted chairman also vowed to establish “omnidirectional readiness,” saying the communist neighbor will continue to stage provocations at an unanticipated place and time.

“Based on solid military readiness posture, we will deter the enemy’s provocation, and if it once again seeks to jeopardize our territory and people, we will make them bitterly regret it by making it clear that it has a lot more to lose than gain,” he said in an address at the Defense Ministry in Seoul. 

Pyongyang’s land mine attack and an exchange of fire between across the border in August was a “test” of Seoul’s readiness and resolve, Lee said, lauding the military’s firm response.

With the North’s military threats and the regional security landscape evolving, his organization will upgrade its strategies and joint operational concepts, while boosting theater operation capabilities and preparations for a future transfer of operational control from the U.S., he added.

“The North is raising military tension yet again through threats of an atomic test and missile launch,” the four-star general said.

“We must actively deter the enemy’s provocation, and in case of any provocation, we must win.”

The former head of the Army’s 2nd Operations Command is the first-ever Army Academy graduate to become the JCS chairman, a position traditionally taken up by the alumnus of the elite Military Academy. He succeeded Adm. Choi Yoon-hee, whose two-year stint has come to an end.

In his departure speech, Choi stressed the significance of cooperation with the U.S. Forces Korea, highlighted in the run up to an agreement on ammunition supply requirements and a recent completion of a new operational plan.

“The reinforcement of the status of the JCS and its duty and role was another difficult task at a time when jointness is a must, not an option,” the retiring admiral said.

“The joint combat development system and force requirement optimization, for which we have been consolidating the foundation in order to build jointness-based seasoned military power, ought to be settled regardless of any challenge and resistance.”

By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)