The United States is committed to its obligations to contain North Korea with the use of the entire range of military means, including the country's nuclear capabilities, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday. "The United States stands firm in its extended deterrence commitment. That includes the full range of US defense capabilities, including our conventional, nuclear and missile defense capabilities," Austin told a press conference following a meeting with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Jong-sup, in Seoul.

The US defense chief added that Pyongyang had carried out an "unprecedented number" of provocative actions in 2022. North Korea conducted dozens of missile test launches in 2022, firing several missiles at once on some occasions. On November 2, it launched more than 20 short-range missiles. Pyongyang has said that North Korea's military-related activities are in response to provocations by the US, South Korea and Japan.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP