South Korea, US condemn North Korea nuclear test preparations

Above, a South Korean broadcaster shows file footage of a North Korean missile test. Pyongyang on June 5, 2022 launched multiple ballistic missiles into waters off its east coast. (AFP)

• South Korea and the United States plan to expand the scale of joint military exercises to maintain deterrence

SEOUL Defense ministers of South Korea and the United States on Saturday condemned North Korea’s preparations for a nuclear test, saying this and a series of missile launches threaten the peace and safety of the Korean peninsula and the international community.
South Korea and the United States plan to expand the scale of joint military exercises to maintain deterrence, South Korea’s defense ministry said in a statement.
Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met on Saturday at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an Asia security gathering in Singapore.