South Korea and the U.S. Adjust Scale of Strategic Assets in Strengthened 'North Korea Nuclear Response'

US-ROK Extended Deterrence Strategy Committee Raises Military Response Level to North Korean Nuclear Threat
Promises Coordination in Operation of US Strategic Assets

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] The South Korea-U.S. alliance is being evaluated as having raised the level of North Korea nuclear response through the 'South Korea-U.S. Extended Deterrence Strategy Consultation Group (EDSCG)'.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Both South Korea and the U.S. have proactively strengthened diplomatic and military response levels in advance, given the serious situation on the Korean Peninsula, including North Korea's preparation for the 7th nuclear test and the legalization of nuclear weapon possession.

According to diplomatic sources on the 17th, North Korea, which is assessed to have virtually completed preparations for the 7th nuclear test, announced a principle through the legalization of its nuclear force policy on the 8th, indicating it could even carry out a preemptive nuclear strike, making North Korea's nuclear threat a tangible and practical issue that can be felt.

In this regard, Cho Hyun-dong, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, said at a briefing after the meeting, "South Korea and the U.S. shared serious concerns about the grave situation on the Korean Peninsula due to North Korea's preparation for the 7th nuclear test and the legalization of nuclear weapon possession."

In response, the South Korea-U.S. governments chose a hardline card. In particular, the U.S. reaffirmed its ironclad and unwavering commitment to provide extended deterrence in South Korea by utilizing all categories of military capabilities, including nuclear, conventional, missile defense, and advanced non-nuclear capabilities. South Korea and the U.S. reconfirmed that any nuclear attack by North Korea would face an overwhelming and decisive response.

Especially significant is that South Korea and the U.S. decided to hold the EDSCG regularly every year and to hold working-level meetings before next year's session. Since the meetings, which had been suspended after the second meeting in January 2018, are now held regularly, South Korea's voice in executing extended deterrence policies such as the deployment and operation of strategic assets is institutionally guaranteed.

The EDSCG is a consultative body that comprehensively discusses policy and strategic issues to strengthen stability in the Indo-Pacific region, including the defense of the Korean Peninsula. This meeting was held for the first time in 4 years and 8 months since January 2018.

Vice Minister Cho evaluated, "Regarding extended deterrence, we institutionalized the EDSCG as a sustainable cooperation mechanism by regularizing it to be held annually and agreed to hold working-level consultations in the first half of next year. This effectively institutionalizes the diplomatic and defense cooperation system for extended deterrence."

Experts predict that as South Korea and the U.S. strengthen cooperation in the operation of strategic assets, the scale or level of strategic asset deployment will differ from the past.

Since the U.S. promised to strengthen cooperation in the operation of strategic assets, deployment of strategic assets is expected to become more feasible.

It is also evaluated that the decision by South Korea and the U.S. to strengthen cooperation for timely and effective deployment of strategic assets is significant in deterring North Korea's provocations. This clearly indicates that responses to provocations by North Korea will differ from past patterns.

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