Yoon: "In Response to North Korea's Nuclear Missile Threat... Strengthening Trilateral Security Cooperation Among South Korea, the US, and Japan"

"Depends on North Korea's Choice" Warning Message

President Yoon Suk-yeol. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] The Presidential Office reiterated on the 9th the importance of trilateral security cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Japan in response to North Korea's additional ballistic missile provocations.

President Yoon stated regarding North Korea's provocations, "In the face of the North Korean nuclear missile threat, we will further strengthen the ROK-US alliance as well as trilateral security cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Japan," according to Kim Eun-hye, the Chief of Public Relations.

Chief Kim said, "We will protect our people through a strong ROK-US alliance and trilateral security cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Japan," adding, "There is no such thing as an appropriate level of security readiness. The state’s security can only be maintained by preparing to an extent that might be considered excessive."

This appears to reaffirm the policy stance of deterring North Korean provocations based on the two pillars of the ROK-US alliance and trilateral security cooperation with Japan. President Yoon mentioned, "The extended deterrence between South Korea and the United States should be a comprehensive response strategy that not only addresses all forms of North Korean provocations but also preemptively deters the very will to provoke, that is, a holistic extended deterrence response measure," and Chief Kim conveyed that a strategic consensus has been formed among the ROK-US command.

President Yoon also expressed the position that "by significantly strengthening ROK-US extended deterrence to suppress North Korea's nuclear threat, we aim to make North Korea realize that possessing nuclear weapons threatens regional freedom and peace, as well as being detrimental to North Korea's own economy and security."

Chief Kim stated, "We will not give up efforts to enable North Korea to grasp a future of prosperity and peace with the very hands that lay down their nuclear weapons," and explained, "President Yoon hopes that this bold vision will be realized as soon as possible. Ultimately, North Korea's future depends on North Korea's own choice."

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