The Pentagon reiterated its commitment to extended deterrence to counter North Korean “aggression” on Thursday, appearing to reject ROK President Yoon Suk-yeol’s suggestion that South Korea could acquire its own nuclear weapons.

“From a U.S. standpoint, our policy continues to remain focused on the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” U.S. Defense Department spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a press briefing, in response to a question about Yoon’s recent remarks.

After a meeting with senior defense officials on Wednesday, Yoon saidthe ROK could acquire its own nuclear weapons if the DPRK’s nuclear threat continues to advance, including