Seoul, South Korea - On her trip to Asia, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi has expressed concern about the growing tensions on the Korean peninsula.

The way the threats from North Korea are increasing is worrying for both of them, Pelosi said in a joint statement with South Korean Parliamentary Speaker Kim Jin Pyo on Thursday, alluding to the dispute over North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

Pelosi had arrived in South Korea the previous evening after her visit to Taiwan. Among other things, the talks with Kim were about strengthening parliamentary cooperation.

At the same time, both expressed their support for the course of their governments in Seoul and Washington towards North Korea. The efforts to denuclearize North Korea and to achieve peace through international cooperation and dialogue are based on a "powerful and extended deterrence against North Korea." This is also perceived by the public in both countries, they said.

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By "extended deterrence," the US understands the full range of its military capabilities to defend South Korea – including nuclear weapons.

North Korea has tested nuclear-capable missiles several times this year, in addition to other weapons tests, thus violating UN resolutions.

Pyongyang, in turn, accuses Washington of a hostile policy. The dispute with North Korea, like the dispute over Taiwan, is one of the most dangerous areas of conflict worldwide.

Pelosi's visit to Taiwan has heightened tensions with China, which sees the democratic island republic as part of its territory.

According to the South Korean news agency Yonhap, Pelosi wanted to make a trip to the heavily fortified border between South and North Korea on Thursday.