SEOUL — South Korea’s nominee for director of the National Intelligence Service, Lee Jong-seok, stated on Thursday (June 19) that he believes the United States would launch a nuclear strike against North Korea if Pyongyang were to carry out a nuclear attack on South Korea.

During his confirmation hearing, Lee was asked whether he thought Washington would retaliate against North Korea—even at the risk of U.S. casualties—if North Korea had deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles. He responded, “Yes, that is my belief,” emphasizing that such a scenario is directly tied to the security alliance between Seoul and Washington.

North Korea has long pursued a nuclear weapons program and is believed to possess enough fissile material to produce nuclear warheads, although it has not yet conducted a test involving a missile equipped with one. Lee has been nominated to head South Korea’s spy agency under the administration of newly elected liberal President Lee Jae-myung, who assumed office on June 4.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.