"The US has said it supports South Korea's policy on North Korea, and our government intends to solve all the problems peacefully," Lee said.

"It is important to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula by resolving the issues of North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles wisely," the spokesman noted, adding that the government will consult closely with the US and other neighbors to that end.

With the inauguration of the Donald Trump administration in the US this year, the possibility of a pre-emptive attack on the North has been suggested as a way to rein in North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile programs.

The South Korean spokesman said the government's current policy of focusing on sanctions and pressure against North Korea is part of a broader process to use dialogue in solving the North Korean issues.

"It is not meant to result in the possibility of military tension and confrontation," he noted. (Yonhap)