Cho Tae-yong, Ambassador to the US, "Extended Deterrence Strategy Consultation Body to Restart Next Month"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] The 'Extended Deterrence Strategy Consultation Group' (EDSCG), which discusses the activation of the U.S. nuclear umbrella in response to North Korea's nuclear attacks, is expected to be reactivated as early as next month.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Cho Tae-yong, South Korea's ambassador to the U.S., said at a Washington press briefing on the 25th (local time), "The Extended Deterrence Strategy Consultation Group may be held within a month or two."

At his first press briefing since his appointment at the embassy that day, Ambassador Cho said, "With North Korea refusing dialogue with the international community and leaving the possibility of provocations open, South Korea and the U.S. are preparing for all possible scenarios and cooperating closely."

Earlier, a Ministry of National Defense official stated on the 25th regarding Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop's visit to the U.S., "The EDSCG to enhance extended deterrence capabilities has made significant progress," and added, "Since both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense are involved, Minister Lee is expected to advance discussions considerably with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin during this visit."

Ambassador Cho emphasized, "Based on the agreement between the South Korean and U.S. presidents, we have focused on the need for the EDSCG to be reactivated promptly and have made many efforts. As a result, I think the consultation group can be held soon, within a month or two, earlier than the timing initially proposed by the U.S. side."

South Korea and the U.S. promised to reactivate this consultation group at their summit in May, and Ambassador Cho explained that the reactivation timing has been moved up earlier than originally expected.

It is reported that South Korea has been demanding the early activation of the high-level Extended Deterrence Strategy Consultation Group to ensure that South Korea's voice is reflected in the process of the U.S. providing a nuclear umbrella to South Korea.

The Extended Deterrence Strategy Consultation Group was established by South Korea and the U.S. in 2012 but was left in limbo due to concerns that it could escalate military tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Since President Yoon Seok-yeol's inauguration, the government has been pushing for its reactivation.

It was first created during the Park Geun-hye administration in 2016. At the 4th South Korea-U.S. Foreign and Defense Ministers' (2+2) meeting held on October 29, 2016, the activation of the Extended Deterrence Strategy Consultation Group was agreed upon.

At the first meeting in December of the same year, South Korea and the U.S. evaluated extended deterrence through several activities, including multiple flights of B-52 strategic bombers over the Korean Peninsula, South Korean officials observing the test launch of the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), and boarding visits during the stay of a ballistic missile-equipped nuclear-powered submarine (SSBN) at Guam.

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