South Korea to enhance its deterrence against North Korea

ANKARA

The South Korean military on Wednesday said the country is planning to strengthen its tailored deterrence along with the US against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, local media said.

The South Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) in its annual parliamentary audit report said that Seoul is enhancing its attack and missile defense capabilities, Yonhap News Agency reported.

“North Korea continues to bolster its nuclear and missile capabilities, with the denuclearization talks having long stalled," the agency cited the JCS report.

"Facing multiple challenges such as the border closure and the worsening economic difficulties due to COVID-19, North Korea could undertake military provocations to tip the balance, though there is the possibility of dialogue," it added.

Last week, North Korea test-fired a newly developed anti-aircraft missile, as part of its series of missile launches in recent weeks that mounted tension in the Korean peninsula.

On Monday, North and South Korea restored cross-border communication lines that were cut off by Pyongyang in July, raising hopes for the resumption of stalled inter-Korean dialogue.

Last year, North Korea blew up a liaison office, and unilaterally cut off all inter-Korean communication lines over anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent from South Korea.

The hotlines were briefly back in operation in late July before being suspended by North Korea in protest against an annual combined military exercise of South Korea and the US.

* Writing by Islamuddin Sajid