South Korean President Affirms Alliance With US Ready To Reply If North Korea Attacks Nuclearly

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol/DOK IST

JAKARTA - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said his country in its alliance with the United States is ready to counterattack if North Korea tries to carry out a nuclear strike against its country.

Quoting74k, Yoon also said South Korea could rely on US nuclear weapons to defend its country and not need its own nuclear weapons.

"I believe that it makes no sense for them to decide to carry out a nuclear strike against the Republic of Korea and if they do so, the nuclear-based South Korean-US alliance will soon attack North Korea with US nuclear weapons," Yoon said.

North Korea deployed its military force with a test of a new solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile named Hwasong-19 on October 31, amid accusations from Washington and Seoul, the country deployed troops to assist Russia in Ukraine.

Yoon took tougher action than his predecessor against North Korea, which continues to develop its nuclear arsenal and ballistic missiles that contradict UN Security Council resolutions.

Seoul is working to continue to improve relations with Washington, building a security alliance that has existed for 70 years and is now a new focus after former US President Donald Trump won a re-election at the White House.

The two Koreas are technically still at war after their war in 1950-1953 ended in a ceasefire, not a peace agreement.