South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Friday dismissed the possibility of deploying US nuclear weapons to South Korea to deter North Korea's armed provocations.

"We have never thought we should redeploy US nuclear assets," a ranking Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

"The government respects the global non-proliferation regime, and continues to align all its policy within that framework," the official added.

 

South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo was reported Thursday to have hinted at the possibility in a meeting with his US counterpart James Mattis in Washington.

"From what I understand, Minister Song simply mentioned nuclear weapons while discussing ways to rein in North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations," the official said.

"We have also verified with Minister Song himself that he did not make any remarks suggesting a wish to deploy tactical nuclear weapons."

The US withdrew tactical nuclear weapons from the Korean Peninsula in 1991 in line with the two Koreas' agreement on denuclearization, non-aggression and reconciliation.

A call for redeployment has recently gained momentum as the North is stepping up missile tests with an aim to develop nuclear-tipped missiles capable of reach the US mainland.

Pyongyang has staged five nuclear tests between October 2006 and September 2016. Concerns are growing that it may stage a sixth test in the near future. (Yonhap)