Ex-Trump official says S. Korea's nuclear armament would lead to heightened tension

In this Feb. 11, 2014, file photo, then-Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. Yonhap

A former senior U.S. official on Thursday said he would oppose the idea of South Korea acquiring nuclear capabilities to defend against nuclear-armed North Korea, saying the move would lead to heightened tensions.

Michael Flynn, former U.S. national security adviser during President Donald Trump's first term, made the remarks in response to claims that South Korea should pursue its own nuclear armament to counter North Korea's threats.

"If I was (were) in your shoes, I am not so sure I would want a nuclear capability," Flynn said at a Seoul forum hosted by the Korea-U.S. Alliance Foundation.

"It develops more tension between nation states," he argued, adding that acquiring nuclear capability, unlike nuclear energy, could be "very hazardous."

Flynn instead pointed to a "long-term security umbrella" that the U.S. provides in the region as a viable option to guarantee safety from potential North Korean threats.

"What you really want is you want a long-term security umbrella, right?" he said, apparently referring to U.S. extended deterrence.