South Korea warns of tough response if North uses nukes

ANKARA (AA) – South Korea on Tuesday warned that any attempt from North Korea to use nuclear weapons would face a tough response and could be "self-destruction," local media reported.

Col. Moon Hong-sik, the deputy spokesperson for the Defense Ministry, said the South Korean-US alliance would respond to any attempt.

"We warn that should North Korea attempt to use nuclear arms, it would face the overwhelming response from the South Korea-US alliance, and its regime would enter a path of self-destruction," Yonhap News Agency quoted Moon as saying during a regular press briefing.

His warning came after North Korea last week adopted a new law to use pre-emptive nuclear strikes to protect itself, declaring North Korea nuclear weapons state.

Under the new law, North Korea empowered its armed forces to use nuclear weapons if an attack with nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction was initiated or grew near.

According to the legislation, the government would not use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states unless they joined hostilities or attacked Pyongyang.

The US and South Korean security officials are expected to meet in Washington on Friday to discuss the latest situation, according to the report.

Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un again rejected any plan to abandon his nuclear program, accusing the US of attempting to topple his regime.

"The aim of the United States is not just to eliminate our nuclear weapons but also ultimately to bring down our regime anytime by forcing (North Korea) to put down nuclear weapons and give up or weaken the power to exercise self-defense," Kim was quoted as saying by Yonhap News Agency.

He also ruled out resuming negotiations with Washington on denuclearization.

He added that the North should incessantly expand the scope of its "tactical nuclear operation" in order to bolster its nuclear combat posture.

Kim’s statement came after the US, South Korea and Japan issued a joint warning that if it conducts another nuclear test, they will respond collectively.

Tension on the peninsula rose in 2020 when North Korea attacked and blew up the inter-Korean liaison office along the border. Seoul has threatened a strong response if Pyongyang "further worsens the situation."

However, tensions soared further last year when both Seoul and Pyongyang ramped up military drills to show off their might.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid