S. Korean military commanders meet over N. Korean threats

By Sam Kim
SEOUL, May 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Tuesday
it convened a meeting of high-level commanders to assess the readiness of their
troops after North Korea conducted its second nuclear test and fired a series of
short-range missiles.

The meeting, overseen by JCS Chairman Gen. Kim Tae-young in Seoul, came as
Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee was set to meet his Chinese counterpart in Beijing
to discuss joint action against North Korea.
North Korea, which conducted its first atomic test in October 2006, appears to be
readying to fire anti-ship missiles on its west coast, according to a South
Korean defense source.
The communist state launched three short-range missiles on the east coast hours
after its announcement Monday of a "successful" underground detonation that it
claims helped enhance the country's nuclear arsenal.
"The JCS meeting will be attended mostly by three-star officers leading the Army,
the Air Force and the Navy," a JCS official said. "They will assess the current
situation and ways to keep their forces ready against any further provocation."
samkim@yna.co.kr
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