On compact sets possessing $q$-convex functions

We show that there exists a $q$-convex function in a neighborhood of a compact set $K$ in a complex manifold $\mathcal{M}$ if and only if the $q$-nucleus of this compact set is empty. The latter can be characterized as the maximal $q$-pseudoconcave subset of $K$, i.e., a subset of $K$ containing all other compact $q$-pseudoconcave subsets in $K$.