President Yoon Suk Yeol shakes hands with soldiers during his visit to a military unit at the central section of the inter-Korean border in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Dec. 28. Yonhap

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday ordered the military to immediately retaliate first and report it later in case of enemy attacks, as he paid a year-end visit to a front-line Army unit.

"In case of provocations, I ask you to immediately retaliate in response and report it later," Yoon said during the visit to the Fifth Army Infantry Division in the border county of Yeoncheon, 60 kilometers north of Seoul.

"We should smash the enemy's desire for provocations immediately on the ground," he said.

Yoon said North Korea is the only country in the world that explicitly specifies invasion and preemptive nuclear use in its constitution, adding that the North can undertake provocations at any time, depending on their political objectives.

During his visit, Yoon met with enlisted soldiers and officers, expressing gratitude for their dedication to service amid recent freezing temperatures.

He reiterated the government's support for the soldiers, assuring them that he will address their welfare concerns, including salary increases. (Yonhap)