President-elect has also vowed to normalize joint military drills with the United States that his predecessor scaled down.

 

Advisers to South Korea’s president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol sought redeployment of U.S. strategic assets, such as nuclear bombers and submarines, to the Korean peninsula during recent talks to Washington, one of the advisers said on Wednesday.

Washington and Seoul explored ways to bolster U.S. extended nuclear deterrence at the talks on coordinating efforts against the North Korean threat held on a trip that also aimed to secure an early summit with President Joe Biden.

The deployment of U.S. bombers, aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines is part of Mr. Yoon’s election plank promising to “respond firmly” to the North’s threats.

Mr. Yoon has also vowed to return to normal format of the joint military drills with the United States that were significantly limited.

President's advisor did not elaborate when asked about plans for regular spring exercises, which domestic media have said could include nuclear bombers for the first time in nearly five years.

We agreed that what’s most important is to maintain deterrence so that we can strongly respond to any possible North Korean provocations, he said, whether ICBM launches or psychological warfare in the form of verbal attacks.