The U.S. and South Korea are jointly warning North Korea that use of any kind of nuclear weapon against Seoul or other regional allies will result in the end of Kim Jong-un's regime I'm Ben Thomas with the latest Our commitment to and defending the ROK is our client We strongly condemn the DPRK's irresponsible and reckless activities As we said before these kinds of activities are destabilizing to the region Defense secretary Lloyd Austin met with his South Korean counterpart at The Pentagon after North Korea launched more than two dozen missiles in response to the U.S. South Korean military exercises The purpose of those exercises says Austin to strengthen our combined readiness and our ability to fight tonight if necessary Through a translator South Korean defense minister Lee Jong-suk says the U.S. and South Korea are united and resolute in their stance toward North Korea Any nuclear attack by the DPRK including the use of tactical nuclear weapons is unacceptable and result in the end of Kim Jong-un regime by the overwhelming and decisive response of the alliance This is a strong warning against the DPRK But Lee also says the allies would like to see tension with North Korea ease Along with the efforts of the alliance to deter and respond to DPRK nuclear threats secretary Austin and I pledge to encourage DPRK to choose the nuclearization and the path for a brighter future We also pledge to continue our cooperation to achieve a complete denuclearization of North Korea Pentagon acknowledges the large scale of the U.S. South Korean exercises dumped vigilant storm It involves more than 1600 U.S. and South Korean flights involving some 240 war planes You've also seen us and Austin notes move a carrier into port there recently and I think that's a pretty strong signal as well Ben Thomas Washington