South Korean President Park Geun-hye has called on people in North Korea to defect to the South. Speaking at a military ceremony in Gyeryong today, Ms Park said, defectors now include not only ordinary people suffering from hunger and oppression but members of the elite.
She also said, looting and desertions by North Korean soldiers are frequent. Ms Park said, her government will leave the path open so that people in the North can find hope and freedom.
She also said Pyongyang has publicly stated that it would not hesitate to use nuclear weapons against South Korea.
She emphasized the need to deploy an advanced US anti-missile system known as the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, in South Korea for self-defense.