President Yoon Suk Yeol says that if the North Korea nuclear issue worsens, the South may deploy tactical nuclear weapons or seek nuclear armament.

Yoon made the remark on Wednesday during a New Year’s briefing by the foreign affairs and defense ministries as he stressed the need to boost the nation’s “three-axis” system to counter the North’s missile and nuclear threats.

However, he was quick to add that, for now, the realistic option is for Seoul and Washington to jointly devise and adopt plans for the operation of U.S. nuclear assets.

The three-axis system is South Korea's strategy to boost defense capabilities against North Korea's missile and nuclear threats through three measures – the Kill Chain preemptive strike system, the Korean Air and Missile Defense System(KAMD) and the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation(KMPR) system.

Yoon said the KMPR is the most important, stressing the need to repress the North’s tendency towards aggressive behavior.

Regarding Japan's decision to increase its defense spending, Yoon expressed understanding, citing North Korean missiles that have flown over Japan.