Yoon says N. Korea's missile launch aimed at causing confusion ahead of election

SEOUL, April 2 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol said Tuesday that North Korea is attempting to rock South Korean society ahead of the general elections, after the regime fired what appeared to be an intermediate-range ballistic missile into the East Sea.

Yoon made the remark during a Cabinet meeting held in the central city of Sejong, hours after the North fired the missile in its third ballistic missile launch of the year. The missile flew about 600 kilometers before landing in the East Sea.

"The North Korean regime is trying to rock our society ahead of the general elections, while continuing missile and other military provocations," Yoon said. "These provocations will only end up uniting the minds of our people strongly."

Yoon also called for firm readiness for additional provocations.

Yoon also pledged to pour in unlimited emergency funds for an indefinite period of time to stabilize the rising prices of agricultural and livestock products.

According to government data, the country's inflation remained above 3 percent for the second consecutive month in March. Notably, prices of agricultural, livestock and fishery products rose 11.7 percent on-year last month, the highest rise since April 2021 when the prices rose 13.2 percent.

khj@yna.co.kr
(END)