(3rd LD) S. Korea, U.S. pledge 'overwhelming' response in event of N.K. nuclear attack

Diplomacy 04:06 April 27, 2023

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details of press conference; ADDS photo)
By Lee Haye-ah

WASHINGTON, April 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States agreed to take "swift, overwhelming and decisive" action using all of their military capabilities, including U.S. nuclear weapons, in the event of North Korea's nuclear attack, President Yoon Suk Yeol said Wednesday.

Yoon made the remark during a joint press conference with U.S. President Joe Biden following their summit talks at the White House, outlining a joint statement, dubbed the "Washington Declaration", that they adopted to strengthen "extended deterrence" against the North's nuclear and missile threats.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (L) and U.S. President Joe Biden hold a joint news conference after their summit at the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 26, 2023. (Yonhap)

Extended deterrence refers to the U.S. commitment to mobilizing all of its military capabilities, including nuclear, to defend its ally.

"South Korea and the United States agreed to immediately hold talks between their leaders in the event of North Korea's nuclear attack, and through them, promised to take swift, overwhelming and decisive action using all of the alliance's military capabilities, including U.S. nuclear weapons," Yoon said at the White House Rose Garden.

Yoon said the two countries agreed to establish a Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) in order to operate the new extended deterrence system in more detail.

The allies will share information on nuclear and strategic operations and planning and hold regular discussions on how to plan and execute joint operations combining South Korea's cutting-edge conventional capabilities with the U.S. nuclear capabilities, he said.

The results will be reported to the two countries' leaders.

"We, the two leaders, agreed to dramatically strengthen the two countries' extended deterrence against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats in order to achieve peace through an overwhelming superiority of strength, not a fake peace that relies on the North's good will," Yoon said.

"President Biden reaffirmed the ironclad extended deterrence commitment to South Korea."

The two countries will further develop simulation exercises to prepare against a nuclear crisis and regularly and continuously deploy U.S. strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula, Yoon said. The leaders also agreed to continue cooperation to further strengthen extended deterrence.