02:09USA: Washington and Seoul 'aren't discussing joint nuclear exercises' - WH spox rejects South Korean claims
White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre stated that Washington and Seoul 'aren't discussing joint nuclear exercises', despite claims from South Korea that appeared to suggest such talks were ongoing, during a briefing in DC on Tuesday.
"As the president said yesterday, we aren't discussing joint nuclear exercises, the ROK (Republic of Korea) is a non-nuclear weapon state so just want to be very clear on what the president was saying," Jean-Pierre said.
It came after South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeul was quoted in a newspaper as claiming that the two were in talks on 'joint planning and exercises involving US nuclear assets’.
Jean-Pierre did mention that the alliance with South Korea was key to providing 'extended deterrents' to North Korea's nuclear activities, referring to recent talks between US President Joe Biden and his counterpart.
"Following their meeting in Cambodia, President Biden and President Yoon tasked their teams to plan for an effective, a co-ordinated response to a range of scenarios including nuclear use by North Korea," she stated.
The most recent discussions come after Pyongyang carried out its latest ballistic missile launch in the New Year.
Local media reported that President Kim Jong-un had ordered the development of new missiles and mass production of weapons amid growing tensions in the region. North Korea has blamed US drills with Seoul and Japan for the escalation of hostilities.
02:09Mandatory Credit: White House
White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre stated that Washington and Seoul 'aren't discussing joint nuclear exercises', despite claims from South Korea that appeared to suggest such talks were ongoing, during a briefing in DC on Tuesday.
"As the president said yesterday, we aren't discussing joint nuclear exercises, the ROK (Republic of Korea) is a non-nuclear weapon state so just want to be very clear on what the president was saying," Jean-Pierre said.
It came after South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeul was quoted in a newspaper as claiming that the two were in talks on 'joint planning and exercises involving US nuclear assets’.
Jean-Pierre did mention that the alliance with South Korea was key to providing 'extended deterrents' to North Korea's nuclear activities, referring to recent talks between US President Joe Biden and his counterpart.
"Following their meeting in Cambodia, President Biden and President Yoon tasked their teams to plan for an effective, a co-ordinated response to a range of scenarios including nuclear use by North Korea," she stated.
The most recent discussions come after Pyongyang carried out its latest ballistic missile launch in the New Year.
Local media reported that President Kim Jong-un had ordered the development of new missiles and mass production of weapons amid growing tensions in the region. North Korea has blamed US drills with Seoul and Japan for the escalation of hostilities.