Seoul – President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea declared that the nation, supported by its alliance with the United States, is fully prepared to retaliate if North Korea were to attempt a nuclear strike, as reported by Newsweek on Friday. Yoon emphasized that South Korea could depend on U.S. nuclear weapons for its defense, thereby negating the need for an independent nuclear arsenal.
“I believe that it would be irrational for them to decide to wage a nuclear attack against the Republic of Korea, and should they do so, the nuclear-based ROK-U.S. alliance will immediately strike North Korea with the U.S. nuclear weapon,” Yoon stated in the report.
This statement comes shortly after North Korea conducted a test of its formidable new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-19, on October 31. The move has intensified regional tensions, especially amid accusations from both Washington and Seoul that North Korea is deploying troops to support Russia in its conflict with Ukraine.
Yoon, known for his conservative stance, has adopted a tougher approach towards North Korea compared to his predecessors, as the northern regime continues its pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile capabilities in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Strengthening ties with Washington has been a significant focus for Seoul, especially in light of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s re-election, which has drawn renewed attention to the 70-year security alliance between the two nations. The Korean Peninsula remains technically at war, as the 1950-1953 Korean War concluded with an armistice rather than a peace treaty.