South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Friday dismissed the possibility of deploying U.S. nuclear weapons to South Korea to deter North Korea's armed provocations.
"We have never thought we should redeploy U.S. nuclear assets," a ranking Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo was reported Thursday to have hinted at the possibility in a meeting with his U.S. counterpart James Mattis in Washington.
"From what I understand, Minister Song simply mentioned nuclear weapons while discussing ways to rein in North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations," the official said.
The U.S. withdrew tactical nuclear weapons from the Korean Peninsula after the two Koreas signed a agreement for peace and reconciliation in 1991.
A call for a redeployment has recently gained momentum as the communist North steps up missile tests with an aim to develop nuclear-tipped missiles capable of reach the U.S. mainland.
Pyongyang has staged five nuclear tests between October 2006 and September 2016. Concerns are growing that it may stage a sixth test in the near future. (Yonhap)