SEOUL/WASHINGTON, Jan 3 (Reuters) - South Korea and the United States are discussing joint planning and implementation of U.S. nuclear operations to counter North Korea, Seoul's presidential office said on Tuesday, although U.S. President Joe Biden said there would be no joint nuclear exercises. The statement came shortly after Biden said the United States was not discussing joint nuclear exercises with South Korea, seeming to contradict earlier remarks by South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol in an interview with a local newspaper. Yoon's press secretary, Kim Eun-hye, said Biden "had no choice but to say 'No'" because he was simply asked if the two countries were "discussing nuclear war games," whereas joint nuclear exercises can only be held between nuclear weapons states. "In order to respond to the North Korean nuclear weapons, the two countries are discussing ways to share information on the operation of U.S.-owned nuclear assets, and joint planning and joint execution of them accordingly," Kim said in a statement. Neither side has finalised the timing of the planned tabletop exercises, but they would take place "in the not-too-distant future" and cover scenarios beyond nuclear situations, the official said.

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