The South Korean government says it is keeping a close eye on developments regarding Japan’s recent revision of its nuclear energy law, which leaves open the possibility that nuclear materials can be used for military purposes of “security assurance”.

Deputy Spokeswoman Han Hye-jin of Korea’s Foreign Ministry said that, as Japan is a signatory state of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in principle, the revision does not immediately make the country a nuclear-armed nation.

She added that the Japanese government has not yet provided an explanation to Korea regarding the details of its revision.