ROK: DPRK provocations against ROK-U.S. drills possible
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South Korea is not ruling out the possibility of additional provocations by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) around the time when Seoul and Washington stage their annual war games, the country's defense chief said Friday.
Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin told parliament that the DPRK might militarily respond to the joint drills from Feb. 28-March 10, considering "types of past provocations" of Pyongyang.
The "Key Resolve and Foal Eagle" exercises, which the allies say are defensive in nature, are expected to mobilize some 12,800 U.S. troops and 200,000 South Korean troops, along with a U.S. aircraft carrier.
The DPRK repeatedly condemned the annual war game as preparation for war.
The minister, meanwhile, dismissed claims that South Korea should also go nuclear to deter the DPRK's threats, saying the government will stick to its denuclearization policy and the U.S. nuclear umbrella will be a sufficient deterrent.
The allies never discussed reintroducing strategic nuclear weapons in South Korea and will never will, Kim added, denying speculation that Seoul might be considering bringing in U.S. tactical nuclear weapons for deterrence against the DPRK.
Washington withdrew the last nuclear weapons from its Asian ally in December 1991 for nuclear arms reduction and has kept South Korea under its nuclear umbrella.
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