Video: North Korea nuclear threat: South 'ready to respond' to attack South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho Tai-young urged Pyongyang to keep its "promises" of denuclearisation. His comments came after North Korea vowed to restart a nuclear reactor which is capable of making one bomb's worth of plutonium a year. Meanwhile, during her first foreign affairs and security meeting since taking office, South Korean President Park Geun-hye told the military to set aside political considerations and respond forcibly, should the North attack. She said it is essential to retaliate against North Korea's provocations. She also emphasised [that] our strong diplomatic and military deterrent power can stop the North from daring to even think about provocation," said presidential spokesman Yoon Chang-jung.