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Koreas Tensions Yoon
FILE - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, center, boards the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier at the South Korean naval base in Busan, South Korea, June 25, 2024. (South Korean Presidential Office/Yonhap via AP, File)

South Korean leader says North Korea wants US attention by showing off nuclear might

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol says North Korea’s recent disclosure of a nuclear facility was likely an attempt to grab U.S. attention ahead of the presidential election

By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Published - Oct 05, 2024, 07:37 PM ET
Last Updated - Dec 16, 2024, 06:36 PM EST

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea’s recent disclosure of a nuclear facility was likely an attempt to grab U.S. attention ahead of next month's presidential election, and the North will likely stage major provocations like a nuclear test explosion and a long-range missile test, South Korea’s president says.

President Yoon Suk Yeol shared his government’s assessment on the recent moves by North Korea with The Associated Press, before he leaves Sunday for a three-nation trip that includes a stop in Laos for summits with Southeast Asian and other world leaders. At Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-related meetings, Yoon says he’ll emphasize that North Korea’s nuclear disarmament is essential to regional peace.

“At the upcoming ASEAN-related summits, I will stress the importance of denuclearization of North Korea, which is a prerequisite for realizing a free, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region,” Yoon said in written responses to questions from the AP.

“This will serve to send a clear message that the international community will never condone North Korea’s reckless actions,” he said.

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