S. Korea, US hold talks on joint responses to N. Korea's WMD

Defense officials from South Korea and the United States convened to discuss contingency plans for dealing with North Korea's weapons of mass destruction, according to Seoul's defense ministry. Woo Kyung-suk, the ministry's director general for policy planning, and Jason Hamm, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of war for nuclear deterrence and countering WMD policy, facilitated the meeting in Seoul.

The discussions come amid North Korea's continued progress in nuclear and missile development, including munitions capable of targeting South Korea and the United States, while the regime remains adamant about retaining its nuclear arsenal. Both nations expressed apprehension over the North's WMD programs destabilizing the Korean Peninsula and the wider region.

They deliberated on enhancing practical capabilities to counter the potential use of such weapons by Pyongyang. Additionally, the allies agreed to maintain cooperation in addressing biological threats, including infectious diseases like COVID-19, and explored methods to fortify post-management procedures to further strengthen their joint response mechanisms.