US, South Korea hold nuclear deterrence talks as North Korea expands arms push

SEOUL, June 11 – U.S. and South Korean officials discussed strengthening nuclear deterrence and readiness against North Korea’s growing weapons programme on Thursday, South Korea’s defence ministry said, at talks in Seoul under their Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG). The meeting follows growing concern that North Korea is expanding its capacity to produce weapons-grade nuclear material, after state media showed leader Kim Jong Un inspecting a newly operating nuclear-material production plant and calling for an “exponential” expansion of the country’s nuclear forces. The sixth meeting of the group was co-chaired by Kim Hong-cheol, Seoul’s defence policy chief, and Robert Soofer, a…