US Strategic Assets Practically 'Permanently Deployed'... "Kim Jong Un Regime Will Face Its End" (Comprehensive)

South Korea-US Decide on Permanent Deployment of Strategic Assets in Korea via SCM
Four-Pronged Cooperation Including Information Sharing Like NATO-Style Nuclear Sharing
Phrase 'End of Kim Regime' Reflects US Will
Permanent Deployment of Strategic Assets May Trigger 'Second THAAD'... North Korea-China Expected to Oppose

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Yang Nak-gyu, military specialist, and Jang Hee-jun] The defense ministers of South Korea and the United States have agreed to deploy U.S. strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula at a level equivalent to a permanent presence, instead of deploying tactical nuclear weapons. This means creating a more tightly knit cooperative network similar to NATO's nuclear sharing model, and is expected to provide grounds for the permanent deployment of strategic weapons feared by North Korea, such as the B-1B strategic bomber, known as the "Death Swan."

In response to North Korea's successive provocations, the two ministers also warned that these actions would "bring about the end of the Kim Jong-un regime." North Korea violated the September 19 military agreement again by launching ballistic missiles until the early morning of the 4th and firing about 80 artillery rounds into the East Sea.

On the 3rd (local time), Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin held the 54th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) at the Pentagon and issued a joint statement consisting of 19 articles outlining these points.

According to the statement, the two countries decided to further strengthen alliance capabilities, information sharing, consultation procedures, joint planning, and execution to deter and respond to North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threats, inspired by the U.S. and NATO's nuclear sharing systems with non-nuclear countries. They reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to deploy strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula in a timely and coordinated manner as necessary and to seek new measures to strengthen deterrence against North Korea's destabilizing actions. This approach could enhance South Korea's "voice" in crisis assessment and response, decisions on extended deterrence measures, and nuclear use decisions according to policy category cooperation.

Key Highlights of the 54th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) between South Korea and the United States

At a press conference following the SCM, Minister Lee Jong-seop explained the direction by stating, "We will operate U.S. strategic assets in a way that expands the frequency and intensity of deployment to achieve an effect equivalent to a permanent presence," adding, "militarily, this means using real-time consultation channels between the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Combined Forces Command to operate in a way that produces the effect of a permanent deployment."

The permanent deployment of strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula was already agreed upon by the two countries at the end of 2017. However, it was effectively suspended as the situation shifted to a phase of reconciliation and dialogue with the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. This year, with the Yoon Suk-yeol administration in office, an agreement on "timely and coordinated deployment of strategic assets" was reached at the South Korea-U.S. summit, and the F-35A stealth fighter, aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76, 103,000 tons), and nuclear-powered submarine USS Annapolis (SSN-760, 6,000 tons) publicly visited the Korean Peninsula. The two ministers also visited Andrews Air Force Base near the Pentagon and posed side by side under the B-1B and B-52 strategic bombers, a scene evaluated as vividly demonstrating the U.S. commitment to the permanent deployment of strategic assets.

Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin are attending the chairmanship ceremony at the entrance of the U.S. Department of Defense building (Pentagon) on the 3rd (Korean time) ahead of the 54th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) between South Korea and the United States.
[Photo by Ministry of National Defense]

The joint statement attracted attention for including the phrase "the end of the Kim Jong-un regime" for the first time. In the statement, Secretary Austin warned that any nuclear attack, including non-strategic (tactical) nuclear weapons, against the U.S., its allies, or partners would not be tolerated and would bring about the end of the Kim Jong-un regime. The SCM joint statement is seen as a blueprint summarizing alliance issues for the year and the direction the alliance should take, interpreted as a strong warning from South Korea and the U.S. to North Korea.

However, the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons was not included in the statement. Minister Lee said at the joint press conference after the SCM, "The government is not considering the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula."

Regarding this statement, military circles inside and outside the government evaluate it as a compromise product that aims to realize effects beyond tactical nuclear deployment while considering the realistic constraints that the U.S. does not regard South Korea's nuclear armament or tactical nuclear deployment as an option. It also highlights the advantage of being safer than deploying tactical nuclear weapons, which would be the primary target of enemy attacks.

A military official explained, "The U.S. says it has sufficient capability to provide extended deterrence and will demonstrate it, but the issue for us is whether we can trust the execution and how much South Korea's voice and activities are reflected in the process between the U.S.'s capability, decision-making, and execution. This SCM is an effort to change that."

With the decision to permanently deploy strategic assets, North Korea and China are expected to increase their opposition. Especially with China, there is a possibility of another diplomatic friction following the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) issue. There is also concern about a vicious cycle of escalating tensions around the Korean Peninsula: North Korea enhancing its nuclear and missile capabilities due to pressure → South Korea and the U.S. strengthening military responses → China's opposition and new provocations by North Korea.

Meanwhile, the ruling and opposition parties have agreed to adopt a resolution condemning North Korea's successive provocations. On the 4th, Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, said at a floor strategy meeting, "Regarding North Korea's provocations, I proposed to the Democratic Party to adopt a resolution condemning North Korea's provocations, and I received a message that the Democratic Party agrees. We are currently negotiating the wording."

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