A US B-1B bomber flies alongside four South Korean F-15K, two US F-16 and four Japanese F-2 fighter jets during combined drills over waters east of the southern island of Jeju on November 3, in this photo provided by the US Air Force. YONHAP/VNS PHOTO

SEOUL – President Yoon Suk Yeol said a nuclear-based alliance between South Korea and the United States will immediately strike if North Korea attempts a nuclear attack against the South, according to an interview published on Friday.

Yoon made the remark during an interview with US magazine Newsweek to address growing concerns over North Korea’s evolving nuclear and missile threats.

“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-US alliance will immediately strike North Korea with the US nuclear weapon,” he said, referring to South Korea’s official name.

He highlighted South Korea’s advanced defence and attack capabilities against the North’s potential nuclear attacks.

“We have our capabilities, and we are improving our capability to strike the launching point and to intercept their missiles and to strike their command-and-control centres,” he added.

Yoon reiterated South Korea’s stance against developing its own nuclear weapons, cautioning such a move could prompt neighbouring countries like Japan and China’s Taiwan to pursue nuclear arms and escalate regional tensions.

He said Seoul remains committed to countering Pyongyang’s nuclear threats through the Nuclear Consultative Group, established as part of the Washington Declaration agreed upon during his summit with US President Joe Biden in April 2023.THE KOREA HERALD/ANN