On her trip to Asia, the Speaker of the United States (U.S.) House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi,  expressed concerns about the growing tensions on the Korean peninsula. The way the threats from North Korea were increasing was becoming a worrying situation for both of them.

Pelosi gave the concern in a joint statement with South Korean Parliamentary Speaker Kim Jin Pyo on Thursday, alluding to the dispute over North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme.Pelosi had arrived in South Korea the previous evening after her visit to Taiwan.

Among other things, the talks with Kim were about strengthening parliamentary cooperation. At the same time, both expressed their support for the course of their governments in Seoul and Washington towards North Korea.

The efforts to denuclearise North Korea and to achieve peace through international cooperation and dialogue were based on a powerful and extended deterrence against North Korea. This was also perceived by the public in both countries.

By extended deterrence, the U.S. understood the full range of its military capabilities to defend South Korea including nuclear weapons. North Korea had tested nuclear-capable missiles several times this year, in addition to other weapons tests, thus violating UN resolutions.