{"id":2800,"date":"2023-01-04T12:46:54","date_gmt":"2023-01-04T12:46:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/londonpost.news\/?p=2800"},"modified":"2023-01-04T12:50:54","modified_gmt":"2023-01-04T12:50:54","slug":"south-korea-talks-with-us-on-management-of-nukes-underway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/analysis\/defense\/south-korea-talks-with-us-on-management-of-nukes-underway\/2023\/01\/04\/admin1\/","title":{"rendered":"South Korea: Talks with US on management of nukes underway"},"content":{"rendered":"

SEOUL,<\/span> South<\/span> Korea<\/span> (AP) Jan,4<\/span> \u2014<\/span> South<\/span> Korea<\/span> maintained<\/span> that<\/span> Seoul<\/span> and<\/span> Washington<\/span> are<\/span> discussing<\/span> its<\/span> involvement<\/span> in<\/span> U.S.<\/span> nuclear<\/span> weapons<\/span> management<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> face<\/span> of<\/span> intensifying<\/span> North<\/span> Korean<\/span> threats,<\/span> after<\/span> President<\/span> Joe<\/span> Biden<\/span> denied<\/span> that<\/span> the<\/span> allies<\/span> were<\/span> discussing<\/span> joint<\/span> nuclear<\/span> exercises.<\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span>The<\/span> purported<\/span> difference<\/span> came<\/span> as<\/span> South<\/span> Korea<\/span> is<\/span> seeking<\/span> a<\/span> greater<\/span> U.S.<\/span> security<\/span> commitment<\/span> after<\/span> North<\/span> Korea’s<\/span> record<\/span> number<\/span> of<\/span> missile<\/span> tests<\/span> and<\/span> escalating<\/span> nuclear<\/span> doctrine<\/span> last<\/span> year<\/span> caused<\/span> security<\/span> jitters<\/span> among<\/span> many<\/span> people<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> South.<\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span>Some<\/span> experts<\/span> say<\/span> South<\/span> Korea’s<\/span> statement<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> discussion<\/span> is<\/span> likely<\/span> largely<\/span> based<\/span> on<\/span> an<\/span> agreement<\/span> between<\/span> their<\/span> defense<\/span> chiefs<\/span> in<\/span> November<\/span> to<\/span> conduct<\/span> table-top<\/span> exercises,<\/span> usually<\/span> computer<\/span> simulations,<\/span> annually<\/span> and<\/span> further<\/span> strengthen<\/span> the<\/span> alliance’s<\/span> information<\/span> sharing,<\/span> joint<\/span> planning<\/span> and<\/span> execution.<\/span> In<\/span> November,<\/span> they<\/span> also<\/span> reaffirmed<\/span> the<\/span> U.S.<\/span> commitment<\/span> to<\/span> providing<\/span> extended<\/span> deterrence,<\/span> a<\/span> reference<\/span> to<\/span> a<\/span> U.S.<\/span> promise<\/span> to<\/span> use<\/span> full<\/span> U.S.<\/span> capabilities,<\/span> including<\/span> nuclear,<\/span> to<\/span> protect<\/span> its<\/span> allies.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>After<\/span> Biden’s<\/span> comments<\/span> created<\/span> a<\/span> brief<\/span> stir<\/span> in<\/span> South<\/span> Korea,<\/span> Yoon’s<\/span> top<\/span> adviser<\/span> for<\/span> press<\/span> affairs,<\/span> Kim<\/span> Eun-hye,<\/span> issued<\/span> a<\/span> statement<\/span> Tuesday<\/span> to<\/span> reconfirm<\/span> Yoon’s<\/span> earlier<\/span> remarks.<\/span> Kim<\/span> said<\/span> the<\/span> two<\/span> countries<\/span> \u201care<\/span> discussing<\/span> an<\/span> intel-sharing,<\/span> a<\/span> joint<\/span> planning<\/span> and<\/span> subsequent<\/span> joint<\/span> execution<\/span> plans<\/span> over<\/span> the<\/span> management<\/span> of<\/span> U.S.<\/span> nuclear<\/span> assets<\/span> in<\/span> response<\/span> to<\/span> North<\/span> Korea’s<\/span> nuclear<\/span> (threats).\u201d<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

The<\/span> White<\/span> House<\/span> National<\/span> Security<\/span> Council<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> statement<\/span> on<\/span> Tuesday<\/span> said<\/span> Biden<\/span> and<\/span> Yoon<\/span> have<\/span> \u201ctasked<\/span> their<\/span> teams<\/span> to<\/span> plan<\/span> for<\/span> an<\/span> effective<\/span> coordinated<\/span> response<\/span> to<\/span> a<\/span> range<\/span> of<\/span> scenarios,<\/span> including<\/span> nuclear<\/span> use<\/span> by<\/span> North<\/span> Korea.\u201d<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

A<\/span> senior<\/span> Biden<\/span> administration<\/span> official<\/span> said<\/span> U.S.<\/span> and<\/span> South<\/span> Korean<\/span> officials<\/span> are<\/span> expected<\/span> to<\/span> hold<\/span> table-top<\/span> exercises<\/span> soon<\/span> to<\/span> chart<\/span> out<\/span> a<\/span> potential<\/span> joint<\/span> response<\/span> to<\/span> a<\/span> range<\/span> of<\/span> scenarios,<\/span> including<\/span> deployment<\/span> of<\/span> a<\/span> nuclear<\/span> weapon<\/span> by<\/span> the<\/span> North.<\/span> The<\/span> official<\/span> spoke<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> condition<\/span> of<\/span> anonymity<\/span> to<\/span> discuss<\/span> planning.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Moon<\/span> Seong<\/span> Mook,<\/span> an<\/span> analyst<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> Seoul-based<\/span> Korea<\/span> Research<\/span> Institute<\/span> for<\/span> National<\/span> Strategy,<\/span> said<\/span> Yoon<\/span> likely<\/span> was<\/span> referring<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> November<\/span> agreement<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> alliance’s<\/span> capabilities,<\/span> which<\/span> he<\/span> said<\/span> definitely<\/span> include<\/span> U.S.<\/span> nuclear<\/span> assets<\/span> that<\/span> are<\/span> essential<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> U.S.<\/span> extended<\/span> deterrence<\/span> commitment.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSouth<\/span> Korea<\/span> isn’t<\/span> a<\/span> nuclear<\/span> state<\/span> so<\/span> it<\/span> won’t<\/span> be<\/span> likely<\/span> South<\/span> Korea<\/span> jointly<\/span> using<\/span> U.S.<\/span> nuclear<\/span> weapons.<\/span> However,<\/span> the<\/span> language<\/span> (the<\/span> November<\/span> agreement)<\/span> implied<\/span> that<\/span> the<\/span> South<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> States<\/span> would<\/span> discuss<\/span> the<\/span> operation<\/span> of<\/span> U.S.<\/span> nuclear<\/span> weapons<\/span> from<\/span> the<\/span> planning<\/span> stage<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> training<\/span> stage.<\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span>Some<\/span> observers<\/span> say<\/span> Yoon’s<\/span> comments<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> Chosun<\/span> Ilbo<\/span> newspaper<\/span> did<\/span> not<\/span> reveal<\/span> much<\/span> new<\/span> developments<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> issue,<\/span> but<\/span> Moon<\/span> said<\/span> that<\/span> Yoon<\/span> was<\/span> a<\/span> U.S.<\/span> strategist<\/span> at<\/span> a<\/span> time<\/span> when<\/span> North<\/span> Korea<\/span> escalated<\/span> its<\/span> nuclear<\/span> threat<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> south.<\/span> may<\/span> have<\/span> sought<\/span> to<\/span> emphasize<\/span> efforts<\/span> to<\/span> increase<\/span> the<\/span> effectiveness<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> States’<\/span> enhanced<\/span> deterrence.<\/span> Korea.<\/span> Yun<\/span> said<\/span> in<\/span> an<\/span> interview<\/span> that<\/span> he<\/span> finds<\/span> it<\/span> difficult<\/span> to<\/span> provide<\/span> security<\/span> for<\/span> his<\/span> men<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> current<\/span> level<\/span> of<\/span> US<\/span> security<\/span> commitments.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>“It’s<\/span> an<\/span> unnecessary<\/span> argument.<\/span> Neither<\/span> side<\/span> made<\/span> any<\/span> inaccurate<\/span> statements,”<\/span> said<\/span> Park<\/span> Won-gon,<\/span> a<\/span> professor<\/span> at<\/span> Ewha<\/span> Womans<\/span> University<\/span> in<\/span> Seoul.<\/span> “Enhancing<\/span> deterrence<\/span> is<\/span> a<\/span> commitment,<\/span> a<\/span> promise,<\/span> not<\/span> a<\/span> treaty<\/span> or<\/span> a<\/span> binding<\/span> contract,”<\/span> he<\/span> said.<\/span> \u201cAs<\/span> for<\/span> South<\/span> Korea,<\/span> they<\/span> trust<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> States,<\/span> but<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> growing<\/span> nuclear<\/span> threat<\/span> from<\/span> North<\/span> Korea,<\/span> they<\/span> think<\/span> there<\/span> should<\/span> be<\/span> a<\/span> way<\/span> to<\/span> institutionalize<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> States.<\/span> and<\/span> execution<\/span> are<\/span> key.\u201d<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>South<\/span> Korea<\/span> has<\/span> no<\/span> nuclear<\/span> weapons<\/span> and<\/span> is<\/span> under<\/span> nuclear<\/span> protection<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) Jan,4 \u2014 South Korea maintained that Seoul and Washington are discussing its involvement in U.S. nuclear weapons management in the face of intensifying North Korean threats, after President Joe Biden denied that the allies were discussing joint nuclear exercises. The purported difference came as South Korea is seeking a greater U.S. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2806,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":""},"categories":[26,24,276,280],"tags":[104,105,150,156,76,77,103],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/CHAVLSDAQ5P6XLJRHGB2CJTVSY-scaled.jpg","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2800"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2800"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2800\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2804,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2800\/revisions\/2804"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2806"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2800"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2800"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2800"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}