US Vows to Defend South Korea With Nuclear Capability Amid North Korean Threats

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (R) shakes hands with the South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin (L) at the conclusion of an event at the State Department on Feb. 3, 2023 in Washington. Blinken canceled a planned diplomatic trip to China as a result of an incident involving a Chinese surveillance ballon identified in U.S. airspace. Win McNamee/Getty Images

The United States remains committed to using the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear weapons, to defend South Korea from North Korean aggression, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Feb. 3.

Speaking alongside South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin at a press conference, Blinken reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to improving its allied defense against common threats and the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.