A South Korean conservative civic group called Wednesday for the country's own nuclear armament to better cope with persistent threats posed by North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.

The "new Korea movement" said Seoul should arm itself by redeploying U.S. tactical nuclear weapons to the country and scrapping a joint declaration to keep the Korean Peninsula nuclear-free.

North Korea's recent nuclear detonation test on Jan. 6 has rekindled debates among some conservative politicians, including the floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party, about securing nuclear capabilities to counter the communist country.

South Korea has maintained a denuclearization policy since 1991 when the two Koreas issued the declaration.

Also, the country is a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty which bans non-nuclear states from possessing nuke devices. The North walked out of the treaty in 1993.

"There is need to scrap the joint declaration along with redeploying U.S. tactical nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula," the group said in a press release.

The group said it will begin a nationwide signature drive as part of efforts to gain wider public support.

A total of 236 elders from all walks of life, including former Prime Minister Ro Jai-bong and actor Lee Soon-jae, participated in the movement.

The group says it aims to collect 10 million signatures. (Yonhap)