[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] US Strategic Assets Likely to Deploy Soon on the Korean Peninsula

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] Amid North Korea's consecutive ballistic missile launches, South Korea and the United States are expected to deploy U.S. strategic assets and hold an early meeting of the South Korea-U.S. High-Level Extended Deterrence Strategy Committee (EDSCG) in preparation for further provocations by North Korea.

On the 25th, Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin held a phone call and agreed to strengthen the combined defense posture of South Korea and the U.S. and the U.S. extended deterrence in response to North Korea's ongoing provocations. They also agreed to respond strongly and effectively to any future provocations by North Korea. Minister Lee emphasized closely monitoring the current situation and the necessity of deploying U.S. strategic assets and holding an early EDSCG meeting in preparation for additional provocations by North Korea.

If South Korea and the U.S. hold the EDSCG early, the deployment of U.S. strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula is expected to occur frequently. The South Korea-U.S. diplomatic and defense (2+2) EDSCG was initiated during the Park Geun-hye administration but was suspended during the Moon Jae-in administration. Once the EDSCG discussions become active, U.S. strategic assets will be deployed frequently to the Korean Peninsula in case North Korea carries out provocations such as ICBM launches.

The deployment of U.S. strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula can demonstrate a strong warning and response determination to North Korea. The strategic weapons expected to be deployed include the U.S. three major long-range bombers: B-52H, B-1B, and B-2. The B-52 flew over the Korean Peninsula as a warning to North Korea during the 1976 axe murder incident at Panmunjom.

The U.S. Air Force operates a bomber fleet consisting of 46 B-52H (Stratofortress) capable of carrying nuclear weapons and 20 B-2A (Spirit) bombers. The strategic bomber B-1B (Lancer) has about 90 units in service.

The B-52H carries nuclear warhead-equipped AGM-129 cruise missiles (12 units) and AGM-86A cruise missiles (20 units). It can also carry conventional warheads such as AGM-84 Harpoon air-to-surface missiles (8 units), AGM-142 Raptor air-to-ground missiles (4 units), JDAMs (12 units), 500-pound (226.7 kg) and 1000-pound conventional bombs totaling 81 units, and GPS-guided inertial bombs (JSOW) 12 units, with a total payload capacity of 32 tons.

The B-2 has a weapon payload capacity close to 18,144 kg. The B-1B, nicknamed the "Death Swan" due to its swan-like shape, is a strategic weapon with devastating carpet bombing capability. Its maximum payload exceeds that of the B-52 and B-2, with 34 tons internally and 27 tons including external wing mounts. It can drop a large volume of bombs in a single sortie. Its maximum speed is Mach 1.2, faster than the B-52 (957 km/h) and B-2 (Mach 0.9), allowing it to take off from Guam and operate over the Korean Peninsula within two hours. It is the most frequently deployed bomber to the Korean Peninsula.

Strategic assets deployed to the Korean Peninsula also include nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, known as "floating bases," carrying about 70 aircraft, and nuclear-powered attack submarines equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles with a range of 2,500 km.

Additionally, high-intensity South Korea-U.S. joint exercises are expected to be discussed as part of the extended deterrence action plan. In particular, practical bomber exercises involving U.S. strategic assets are cited as a highly effective means.

However, the permanent or forward deployment of strategic assets is unlikely to be concretized immediately. Permanent deployment would require additional U.S. troops stationed in South Korea, which conflicts with the U.S. Global Posture Review (GPR) policy. This would require a change in U.S. policy.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.