Seoul’s conventional warfare capabilities must be able to “overwhelm” North Korean threats, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said Wednesday, as voices calling for the country to acquire its own nuclear arsenal grow louder.

“President Yoon said that North Korea has nuclear weapons, but in terms of conventional power we must perfectly overwhelm North Korea,” presidential office spokesperson Lee Jae-myoung said in a press briefing after a ceremony honoring newly promoted generals.

The president asked the military officials to “believe in the overwhelming nuclear power of our allies and have confidence that we can respond to all situations,” Lee added.

Yoon