President Yoon Suk Yeol called Wednesday for closer security cooperation with the US to counter North Korea's missile and nuclear threats.
According to the Korean News Agency (Yonhap) Yoon told an interview with The Associated Press that South Korea and the US have been in discussions on joint planning involving US nuclear assets, in the face of the North's nuclear threat.
"The discussions are under way over the so-called joint planning and joint execution, and I think it's right for South Korea and the United States to cooperate, because both of us are exposed to the North Korean nuclear threat," Yoon said.
Yoon said the discussions with the US include "tabletop exercises, computer simulations and drills ... on delivery means for nuclear weapons."
On the North's repeated provocations, Yoon said, "North Korea could have its own internal reasons, but there's no way for our country or any other country to know exactly why they are conducting such provocations."
"These unlawful North Korean provocations can only result in the strengthening of (South Korea's) security response capabilities and a further strengthening of the security cooperation between South Korea, the United States and Japan," Yoon was quoted as saying.
North Korea conducted a record number of ballistic missile tests last year, and many analysts predicted Pyongyang could conduct a nuclear test this year.
Last month, five North Korea drones entered Seoul's airspace, prompting South Korea's Air Force to try to shoot down them and scramble fighter jets.
