UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | President Lee Jae-myung presided over a plenary session of the Eulji National Security Council (NSC) on 18 August, reviewing the country's capacity to conduct a total national war effort and examining wartime transition procedures and measures across government agencies, according to a written briefing by presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung.

President Lee said that while building a peace that removes the need to fight remains the top priority, preparation for worst-case scenarios is also essential. He instructed that the Eulji exercise be conducted as a substantive drill aimed at protecting citizens and safeguarding national security in the event of an emergency. He emphasized that the exercise is defensive in nature, intended to protect the lives and safety of the Korean people, and made clear that it carries no intention of attacking North Korea or raising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The president directed officials not to simply repeat previous iterations of the Eulji exercise, but to reflect recent patterns in modern warfare and design a realistic, comprehensive national war-effort drill that ensures readiness to protect citizens under any circumstances. He reiterated that the fundamental purpose of the exercise is not to treat any particular party as an adversary, but to safeguard the safe and peaceful daily lives of the Korean people.

The meeting, chaired by President Lee, was attended by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo [Han Sung-sook], Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back, Interior and Safety Minister Yun Ho-jung, National Intelligence Service Director Lee Jong-seok, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac, First Deputy National Security Adviser Kang Gun-jak, Third Deputy National Security Adviser Song Ki-ho, and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Jin Young-seung.