The United States and South Korea have agreed to take “rapid, overwhelming and decisive” action in the event of a North Korean nuclear attack, using all their military capabilities, including US nuclear weapons. This was expressed by the Presidents of the countries Joe Biden and Yun Sok Yeol after a meeting in Washington.
“North Korea’s nuclear attack on the United States or its allies and partners is unacceptable and will bring the end of the regime, we will take this action,” Biden said.
Yun Sok Yeol, on the other hand, said that Seoul and Washington have agreed that in case of a nuclear attack on Pyongyang, all available military forces and vehicles of both countries will be engaged immediately. Including US nuclear weapons.
Thus, the Korean president made it clear that one of the results of bilateral negotiations is South Korea’s “new expanded containment system”. In addition, Washington and Seoul agreed to form a “nuclear advisory group” to develop specific plans for the implementation of the new system.
As a result of the visit, the countries agreed to sign the so-called Washington Declaration, a document that legitimizes the creation of a new advisory body and defines its main functions.
Biden stressed that the US authorities do not intend to place their nuclear weapons on South Korean soil. Yun also noted that American non-nuclear forces would be located on the peninsula.
“The deployment of US strategic capabilities on the Korean Peninsula will be carried out on a continuous and routine basis,” the South Korean President said at a press conference in the White House garden. said.
The Korea Yonhap News Agency, quoting a senior US official, writes that the US will now deploy strategic facilities in South Korea to counter North Korea’s rapidly developing nuclear and missile programs.
“We will announce our intention to make our deterrence more visible through the regular deployment of strategic assets, including the visit of a US nuclear ballistic missile submarine to South Korea not seen since the early 1980s,” he said.
Biden also noted at a press conference that the United States is trying to make a diplomatic breakthrough in relations with North Korea. But even if it did, it would in no way affect America’s nuclear obligations to South Korea.
“Our mutual defense agreement is inviolable. This includes the nuclear threat and nuclear deterrence, as well as our expanded commitment to deterrence. “It’s particularly important at a time when North Korea is increasingly threatening and blatantly violating US sanctions,” the White House owner said.
The President of South Korea is in the United States on an official visit. One of the main topics of the talks between the parties is the situation around North Korea and the interaction of the two countries to prevent the nuclear threat from Pyongyang and to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.
The meeting takes place a few days after North Korea’s missile launch. Some were nuclear tests. At least one ballistic missile launch has been made to launch a reconnaissance satellite into orbit. In connection with this, the missile defense systems of South Korea and Japan were put on alert.
In Seoul, such launches are called provocative. Yonhap states that in 2022 alone, North Korea launched 69 ballistic missiles, including an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which US military officials estimate could reach Washington. Since the beginning of 2023, Pyongyang has carried out several dozen more launches.