South Korea and the United States are discussing joint exercises involving US nuclear assets in order to counter North Korea's nuclear threats.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said that Washington's current nuclear umbrella and extended deterrence were no longer enough to reassure South Koreans.
"The nuclear weapons belong to the United States, but planning, information sharing, exercises and training should be jointly conducted by South Korea and the United States," Yoon said.
About whether he has plans to hold a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the South Korean President said that there was no doubt.
Yoon added that, while there is no reason to reject a summit, such prior discussions have to take place in order to produce a useful outcome at the summit, and share it with the nation and neighbouring countries.
These statements came after North Korean state media reported that leader Kim Jong-un called for "an exponential increase" of his country's nuclear arsenal, while calling South Korea "our undoubted enemy."
Former South Korean President met with the North Korean leader three times in 2018, as he prioritised dealing with North Korea. He also mediated summit meetings between Kim and former US President Donald Trump.
