By Soo-hyang Choi

(Reuters) – South Korea’s President-elect Yoon Suk–yeol stated on Thursday that strong deterrence is crucial against North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats. This was in response to a new warning from a senior U.S. envoy about a possible nuclear test next week.

Yoon spoke with the U.S., declaring that he will increase North Korea’s defense capability in order to defeat its threats. Forces Korea (USFK Commander Gen. Paul LaCamera spoke to U.S. during rare visits to Camp Humphreys, Pyeongtaek’s command center for the U.S. army stationed in South Korea with 28,500 troops.

“We can never stress enough the importance of strong deterrence based on the South Korea-U.S. military alliance and the combined defence posture,” Yoon said, citing the alarm raised by the North’s test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) last month.

Washington and Seoul officials have suggested that Pyongyang could resume nuclear weapon testing for the first time in 2017 possibly during the annivesary celebration of Kim Il Sung (which the North celebrates every April 15).

“I don’t want to speculate too much, but I think it could be another missile launch, it could be a nuclear test,” Sung Kim, the U.S. special representative for North Korea, told reporters on a teleconference on Wednesday in Washington when asked about the holiday next week.

According to U.S. officials, there was activity close to the Punggye Ri nuclear site.

After Kim Jong Un’s threat to end his own self-imposed moratorium regarding ICBM and nuclear tests, North Korea has launched a brand new ICBM.

Kim Yo Jong’s strong sister has warned Pyongyang that nuclear weapons could be used if South Korea attacks. South Korea and the United States are expected to hold regular springtime exercises, which Pyongyang long deplored as war preparations.

Yoon’s trip to Camp Humphreys is also a time when his security and foreign policy aides discuss the possibility of redeployment U.S. strategically assets to the peninsula, with U.S. officials at Washington.

Yoon will swear in May 10.