South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol warned Tuesday that any use of nuclear weapons by the North Korean regime would spell its end, as the country held a large-scale military parade in Seoul for the first time in a decade in commemoration of Armed Forces Day.
Speaking at a ceremony held at Seoul Air Base near the South Korean capital, Yoon said, "The North Korean regime must realize that nuclear weapons will not keep them safe."
"If North Korea uses nuclear weapons, its regime will be brought to an end by an overwhelming response from the South Korea-U.S. alliance," Yoon said.
Yoon also referred to a joint declaration adopted with U.S. President Joe Biden during their summit in April to counter the North Korean nuclear threat, as well as a South Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation framework established during a trilateral summit at Camp David last month.
The government held the ceremony to mark Armed Forces Day on Oct. 1, which this year falls during the three-day Chuseok holiday later this week.
Yoon attended the military parade later Tuesday.
Such a parade is held every five years but was cancelled under former President Moon Jae In's administration in consideration of improving inter-Korean ties.
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