JAKARTA - South Korea and the United States are discussing a possible joint exercise using Washington's nuclear assets, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said, after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called South Korea an "undeniably enemy" in cross-border tensions between the two countries.
President Yoon's comments came days after he called for "war preparation" with "extraordinary" capabilities, following Pyongyang's missile test launch record over the past year, as well as the country's drone intrusion to Seoul last week.
"Nuclear weapons belong to the United States, but planning, distribution of information, training, and training must be carried out jointly by South Korea and the United States," President Yoon said in an interview with Chosun Ilbo newspaper published on Monday.
President Yoon said joint planning and exercises would be aimed at a more effective implementation of the US "extended prevention", with Washington also being "sufficiently positive" about the idea.
The term "extended prevention" means the US military capability, particularly its nuclear power, to prevent attacks on US allies.
Meanwhile, a Pentagon spokesman said: "We're not announcing anything today," when asked about President Yoon's comments, adding that the alliance remains "strong."
President Yoon's remarks also came a day after North Korean state media reported that Leader Kim called for developing a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and an "exponential increase" in the country's nuclear arsenal.
At a meeting of the ruling Labor Party last week, Leader Kim said South Korea had become an "undeniably hostile", launching a new military goal, signaling another year of testing and tension of intensive weapons.
Inter-Korean relations have long been tested, but have become increasingly tense since President Yoon took office in May and promised Pyongyang a tougher line.
On Sunday, North Korea fired short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast, in a rare late-night weapons test on New Year's Day, following three ballistic missiles launched on Saturday.
North Korea's official news agency KCNA said projectiles were fired from a super large multiple rocket launcher system, which Leader Kim said "made South Korea overall within attack range and capable of carrying tactical nuclear warheads."
North Korea's race to advance its nuclear and missile programs has renewed debates about South Korea's own nuclear arsenal, but President Yoon said in an interview with Chosun Ilbo, maintaining the Nuclear Weapons Non-Proliferation Treaty remains important.
President Yoon's comments about nuclear exercises are the latest demonstration of his tough attitude towards North Korea.
He said South Korea should punish and retaliate against any provocation by North Korea, calling it the most powerful way to prevent further provocation.
"This year could be a year of crisis with military tensions on the Korean Peninsula, surpassing what happened in 2017," said Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korean Institute for National Unification.
"North Korea's hard-line stance... and the development of aggressive weapons when meeting with exercises with South Korea-US, as well as proportional responses can increase tensions in an instant, and we cannot rule out what is similar to regional conflicts when both sides have a misunderstanding of the situation," Hong said.
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