South Korean president says various options on table to counter North Korea

ANKARA (AA) – South Korea’s president on Thursday said "various possibilities" are under consideration on how to further strengthen US extended deterrence against North Korea amid growing tension in the region.

Speaking to reporters, President Yoon Suk-yeol refused to publicly comment on his government’s preparations after North Korea recently test-fired several missiles and reportedly prepares for its 7th nuclear test.

“As I said the other day, there are diverse opinions across our nation and in the United States regarding extended deterrence, so I am listening to them carefully and looking carefully at various possibilities," Yonhap News Agency quoted Yoon as saying.

“It's difficult for a president to openly confirm or give a clear answer on such security issues,” he said.

His remarks came after Pyongyang confirmed that it test-fired two long-range strategic cruise missiles on Wednesday.

A day earlier, local media reported that Seoul requested Washington to deploy strategic assets, including nuclear-powered submarines, in the South Korean waters as tension sharply escalated on Korean Peninsula after North Korea said that recent missile tests were part of its two-week-long "tactical nuclear" drills to simulate hitting South Korea with nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, a South Korean official confirmed that a missile fired last week during live-fire drills to respond to a North Korean intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) launch, lost its track.

The missile was one of the two Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) that the South Korean military fired into the East Sea but it fell inside a military base after an abnormal flight, the agency quoted the unnamed military official as saying.

The warhead was also found near a civilian home, it said.

On Oct. 4, the US and South Korean forces held live-fire joint drills after North Korea fired a missile that flew over Japan, the first such instance in five years.

Tensions 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 recently after Seoul and Washington held joint military drills.

* Writing by Islamuddin Sajid