Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Won In-choul has joined his counterparts from 11 countries, including the United States, in adopting a statement condemning Myanmar's military using "lethal force against unarmed people."

The 12 military chiefs also include those from Australia, Canada, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Denmark, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, according to the statement that was made available on the website of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff on Saturday.

"As Chiefs of Defense, we condemn the use of lethal force against unarmed people by the Myanmar Armed Forces and associated security services," the statement said. "A professional military follows international standards for conduct and is responsible for protecting -- not harming -- the people it serves."

They also urged "the Myanmar Armed Forces to cease violence and work to restore respect and credibility with the people of Myanmar that it has lost through its actions," according to the statement. (Yonhap)