South Korea's nominee for spy agency director said on Thursday he believed the United States would strike North Korea with nuclear weapons if Pyongyang launched a nuclear attack against South Korea. Lee Jong-seok made the comment during a nomination hearing in answer to a question if he believed Washington would strike the North and put Americans at risk from a country even if Pyongyang has deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles.

As North Korea fires a fresh barrage of rockets, South Korea’s incoming spy chief makes a strong claim about U.S. nuclear retaliation. What it means for regional security now.