July 12, 2024
3 mins read

US, South Korea sign nuclear guideline strategy

The guideline formalizes the deployment of US nuclear assets on and around the Korean peninsula to deter and respond to potential nuclear attacks…reports Asian Lite News

The US commitment to deterrence against North Korea is backed by the full range of US capabilities, including nuclear, US President Joe Biden told South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in a meeting on Thursday on the sidelines of a NATO summit.

The two leaders also authorized a guideline on establishing an integrated system of extended deterrence for the Korean peninsula to counter nuclear and military threats from North Korea, Yoon’s office said.

The guideline formalizes the deployment of US nuclear assets on and around the Korean peninsula to deter and respond to potential nuclear attacks by the North, Yoon’s deputy national security adviser Kim Tae-hyo told a briefing in Washington.

“It means US nuclear weapons are specifically being assigned to missions on the Korean Peninsula,” Kim said.

Earlier Biden and Yoon issued a joint statement announcing the signing of the Guidelines for Nuclear Deterrence and Nuclear Operations on the Korean Peninsula.

“The Presidents reaffirmed their commitments in the US-ROK Washington Declaration and highlighted that any nuclear attack by the DPRK against the ROK will be met with a swift, overwhelming and decisive response,” it said.

DPRK is short for North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. ROK refers to South Korea’s formal name, the Republic of Korea.

Cheong Seong-Chang, a security strategy expert at the Sejong Institute and a strong advocate of South Korea’s own nuclear armament, said the new nuclear guideline is a significant progress that fundamentally changes the way the allies will respond to a nuclear threat from North Korea.

“The problem is, the only thing that will give South Korea full confidence is a promise from the US of an immediate nuclear retaliation in the event of nuclear use by the North, but that is simply impossible,” Cheong said.

“That is the inherent limitation of nuclear deterrence,” he said, adding whether the nuclear guideline will survive a change in US administration is also questionable.

Yoon’s office said the guideline itself is classified.

North Korea has openly advanced its nuclear weapons policy by codifying their use in the event of perceived threat against its territory and enshrining the advancement of nuclear weapons capability in the constitution last year.

Earlier this year, it designated South Korea as its “primary foe” and vowed to annihilate its neighbor for colluding with the United States to wage war against it, in a dramatic reversal of peace overtures they made in 2018.

Both Seoul and Washington deny any aggressive intent against Pyongyang but say they are fully prepared to counter any aggression by the North and have stepped up joint military drills in recent months.

Yoon reaffirmed South Korea’s support for Ukraine, pledging to double its contribution to a NATO trust fund from the $12 million it provided in 2024, his office said. The fund enables short-term non-lethal military assistance and long-term capability-building support, NATO says.

It made no mention of any direct military support for Ukraine. Yoon’s office has said it was considering weapons supply for Kyiv, reversing its earlier policy of limiting its assistance to humanitarian in nature.

ALSO READ: Biden campaign quietly tests Harris vs. Trump in voter survey

Previous Story

NATO leaders pledge $43 bn in military aid to Ukraine

Next Story

Bay of Bengal Ministers Meet PM Modi

Latest from -Top News

WUC Intensifies Global Call for Uyghur Justice

WUC delegation undertook a week-long advocacy tour in Germany, where it met with Turkish NGOs and community leaders….reports Asian Lite News The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) has published its monthly brief, strengthening

India Urges Bangladesh to Act on Minority Attacks

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal urged the Yunus government to probe extremist attacks on minorities….reports Asian Lite News India on Friday criticised recent comments by Bangladesh’s Home Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, asserting that

Jaffar Express Targeted Yet Again

blast happened at a distance of one kilometre from the Sultan Kot railway station….reports Asian Lite News At least seven injured as blast hits Quetta-bound Jaffar Express in Sindh’s Shikarpur district. Shikarpur

India to Join G20 Energy Talks in South Africa

The meeting is being hosted under South Africa’s G20 Presidency in the country’s KwaZulu Natal province…reports Asian Lite News Union Power Minister Manohar Lal will represent India at the G20 Energy Transitions
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Sunak talks trade, AI and Ukraine on US trip

Sunak opened his visit by laying a wreath at the

Industry hails outcomes of Modi’s US visit

PM Modi arrived in the US on Tuesday for a