SEOUL, November 4. /TASS/. Seoul will not develop nuclear weapons, remaining committed to the nuclear non-proliferation regime, South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said following talks with Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth.
"South Korea joined the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, so we will not develop nuclear weapons," he stated at a joint press conference with Hegseth.
Earlier, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung asked his US counterpart Donald Trump to provide Seoul with the right to recycle spent nuclear fuel on its own. According to South Korea, the US leader agreed but some details need to be finalized.
When asked if US tactical nuclear weapons could be redeployed to South Korea, Ahn said: "Since we will not develop our own nuclear weapons, there is a strong need to combine the capacity of the South Korean army, equipped with conventional weapons, and the nuclear capabilities of the United States."
The defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States visited the demilitarized zone on the border with North Korea for the first time since 2017. Hegseth noted that the visit signaled Washington’s readiness to protect its ally.