Shin Beom-chul, Vice Minister, "US Strategic Nuclear Submarine Calls at Busan Port... Strong Message to North Korea"

Shin Beom-chul, Deputy Minister of National Defense, SBS Radio Interview
"North Korea's Dawn Provocation Seems to Be Conscious of Strategic Nuclear Submarines"

Regarding the visit of a U.S. strategic nuclear submarine (SSBN) to Busan Port for the first time in 42 years, Shin Beom-chul, Deputy Minister of National Defense, stated that "it sends a strong message to North Korea that the U.S. extended deterrence commitment will function properly."

Deputy Minister Shin appeared on SBS Radio's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show' on the 19th and said, "Among nuclear forces, the most powerful system is ultimately the strategic nuclear submarine," adding, "I understand that the strategic nuclear submarine docked this time along with the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) to demonstrate that the U.S. extended deterrence commitment is not just words but is followed by actions, and to guarantee that commitment."

North Korean Central TV releases test launch footage of ICBM 'Hwasong-18'. Photo is not related to specific expressions in the article. Photo by Yonhap News.

Regarding the specific details of North Korea's short-range missile provocation in the early morning of the 19th, he said, "Two short-range missiles were launched at dawn, and their range was about 550 km," explaining, "This shows the range reaching Busan."

Deputy Minister Shin analyzed, "It indicates that North Korea is conscious of the U.S. strategic nuclear submarine to that extent," and added, "North Korea is trying to threaten in that way, but I can say that the speed and substance of the strengthening of the ROK-U.S. alliance surpass North Korea's threats."

Regarding the incident in the Joint Security Area (JSA) at Panmunjom where one American crossed into North Korea without authorization, he said, "(The U.S. soldier who crossed) was scheduled to be repatriated to the U.S. mainland," and added, "Since he crossed over without permission, it appears that he made the decision independently and voluntarily defected to the North."

Deputy Minister Shin stated, "We are cooperating with the U.S.," and said, "Since this was an unexpected incident for the U.S. as well, I understand they are making efforts to handle it, and currently, the U.S. side is confirming the situation with the North through the UN Command channel."

Regarding the possibility of North Korea-U.S. repatriation negotiations, he said, "Ultimately, North Korea's attitude and the position of the soldier who defected will be emphasized," and added, "From the current U.S. standpoint, they will prioritize the soldier's safety and continue efforts to repatriate him."

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