Ministry of National Defense: "If North Korea Uses Nuclear Weapons, It Will Lead to Self-Destruction"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The Ministry of National Defense stated, "If North Korea attempts to use nuclear weapons, it will face an overwhelming response from the ROK-US alliance, and the North Korean regime will be led down the path of self-destruction." This official military response came after North Korea announced the adoption of a nuclear force policy law that allows for a preemptive nuclear strike targeting South Korea and others.

At a regular briefing on the 13th, Moon Hong-sik, Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense (acting spokesperson), responded to a question about the military's stance on North Korea's adoption of the nuclear force policy law with this statement.

Deputy Spokesperson Moon emphasized, "The Ministry of National Defense will further strengthen the extended deterrence capability of the ROK-US alliance through close cooperation with the US side, significantly expand the Korean-style 3-axis system, and establish the Strategic Command to enhance deterrence against the North Korean nuclear threat, ensuring that North Korea cannot use nuclear weapons."

The Ministry of National Defense evaluated North Korea's adoption of the nuclear force law by stating, "The main contents of the legislation announced by North Korea are things that the ROK and US have already anticipated and prepared for through close cooperation."

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), belonging to the US 7th Fleet, is scheduled to enter Busan around the end of this month, with plans for joint exercises with the navy in the East Sea currently being coordinated between South Korea and the US. If the nuclear-powered carrier docks, it will be the first time in five years. Since North Korea's sixth nuclear test in November 2017, the US has sent three nuclear carriers?the USS Ronald Reagan, USS Nimitz (CVN-68), and USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71)?simultaneously to the East Sea for joint exercises as a warning message.

Discussions to provide the US "nuclear umbrella" to South Korea are also being concretized. On the 16th, South Korea and the US plan to hold the Extended Deterrence Strategy Committee (EDSCG) meeting in Washington DC. This will be the first EDSCG meeting in 4 years and 8 months since the second meeting in January 2018.

Following the EDSCG, the ROK and US plan to conduct an Extended Deterrence Means Operational Exercise (TTX) within this year. The TTX is a training exercise designed to consider various stages of North Korea's nuclear threat, including the threat phase, imminent use phase, and actual use phase, to devise military response measures between South Korea and the US for each scenario.

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