South Korea-US Leaders: "Immediate, Overwhelming, and Decisive Response to Any North Korean Nuclear Attack on Korea" (Comprehensive)

US-ROK Summit on the Occasion of NATO Summit
Joint Statement on 'Korean Peninsula Nuclear Deterrence and Nuclear Operations Guidelines'

On the 10th (local time), at the official welcoming dinner reception for the 75th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) held at the White House in Washington DC, President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee (center, 2nd floor balcony) are watching the event together with U.S. President Joe Biden and the First Lady (center, front row), who hosted the event, as well as NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the heads of state and their spouses from NATO allied and partner countries. [Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden held a summit on the 11th (local time) in Washington D.C., United States, on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit, and adopted a joint statement on the "U.S.-ROK Joint Statement on the Guidelines for U.S.-ROK Combined Nuclear Deterrence and Nuclear Operations" to strongly respond to North Korea's nuclear provocations.

Through the joint statement, the two leaders reaffirmed the "Washington Declaration" pledge made last year to strengthen the U.S.-ROK alliance as a nuclear-based alliance, stating that "any nuclear attack by North Korea against South Korea will be met with an immediate, overwhelming, and decisive response."

President Biden emphasized, "The U.S. extended deterrence commitment to South Korea is backed by all categories of U.S. capabilities, including nuclear." In response, President Yoon said, "All categories of South Korean capabilities will greatly contribute to the combined defense posture of the U.S.-ROK alliance."

The two leaders stated, "The progress since the launch of the U.S.-ROK Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) demonstrates that the two countries are a true global comprehensive strategic alliance, maintain a stronger mutual defense relationship than ever, and share common interests in peace, stability, and complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

President Yoon and President Biden said, "The NCG, established as a continuous bilateral consultative body, has implemented the 'Washington Declaration' and directly strengthened U.S.-ROK cooperation on extended deterrence," adding, "It has managed North Korea's threats to the non-proliferation regime."

They further explained, "The NCG has promoted joint U.S.-ROK nuclear and strategic planning with a focus on ensuring the ongoing safety and security of the South Korean people and U.S. forces stationed on the Korean Peninsula in the face of North Korea's advancing nuclear threats."

The two leaders said, "The NCG contributes to the U.S.-ROK alliance's efforts to enable joint planning and execution of South Korea's conventional support for U.S. nuclear operations in contingencies," and "The NCG promotes continuous improvement of U.S.-ROK combined exercises and training activities through regular tabletop exercises and whole-of-government simulations."

They also agreed to continue rapid progress on NCG tasks, including ▲enhanced security procedures and information sharing ▲nuclear consultation procedures during crises and contingencies ▲nuclear and strategic planning ▲South Korea's conventional support for U.S. nuclear operations through U.S.-ROK nuclear-conventional integration ▲strategic messaging ▲exercises, simulations, training, and investment activities ▲and risk reduction measures.

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