President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks while presiding over a Cabinet meeting at the Government Complex Sejong, Sejong, 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, referring to the elections on April 10. "These provocations will only end up uniting the minds of our people strongly."

Yoon called for firm readiness for additional provocations.

With the parliamentary elections eight days away, Yoon said thorough preparations are needed to ensure the people can cast their votes without concern about their fairness, especially following the recent discovery of spy cameras at about 40 polling stations across the country.

He 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.

Yoon called for thorough preparations against the effects of climate change, noting unusually low temperatures in April last year were the root cause behind crop damage and increased agricultural goods prices.

In particular, he noted the need to increase the number of "smart orchards" that use artificial intelligence and other digital technology, while developing new varieties of products that can adapt better to climate change.

"When grocery prices rise, vulnerable groups are the first and the most to suffer," Yoon said, instructing the government to expand the scope of people eligible for agricultural goods vouchers and their size.

Yoon again urged all ministries to spare no effort for the smooth operation of Neulbom School, an integrated before- and after-school day care and education program that launched in earnest last month.

On the government's push for medical reform, Yoon stressed the need for bold financial investment in fostering medical institutions, training medical staff and compensating doctors practicing in essential medical fields, in addition to increasing admissions to medical schools.

He instructed the finance minister to consult with the ministers of health, science and education to draw up a medical reform budget and to report it to him. (Yonhap)

（作者：新闻中心）