The United States and South Korea have recently come together to sign joint nuclear deterrence guidelines, following a defense pact made between North Korea and Russia that heightened concerns about North Korea’s increasing nuclear threats. President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol met during a NATO summit in Washington to acknowledge the progress made in their alliance, particularly highlighting the establishment of a joint Nuclear Consultative Group last year to enhance information sharing on nuclear and strategic operations.
The U.S. will maintain control of its nuclear weapons, and the aim of creating the consultation body was to alleviate South Korea’s apprehensions regarding North Korean nuclear threats. The two leaders approved the “U.S.-ROK Guidelines for Nuclear Deterrence and Nuclear Operations on the Korean Peninsula,” signed earlier by their defense officials. This agreement lays a solid foundation for bolstering U.S.-ROK extended deterrence cooperation comprehensively, as stated in the joint declaration.
These guidelines mark the first of their kind between the United States and South Korea and are part of an effort to clarify the U.S. commitment to defend South Korea. It has been a longstanding promise from Washington to utilize all its capabilities, including nuclear weapons, in defense of Seoul in case of an attack. The Biden-Yoon statement highlighted that any nuclear aggression by North Korea against South Korea would be met with a swift, overwhelming, and decisive retaliation.
According to Kim Tae-hyo, a deputy national security director in South Korea, the agreement emphasizes the integration of U.S. nuclear assets and South Korean conventional weapons to enhance readiness against North Korean nuclear threats. Joint military exercises will be conducted by the two countries to implement the deterrence guidelines effectively.
While specifics of the South Korean-U.S. nuclear deterrence guidelines have not been disclosed as they are considered confidential by Seoul, it is anticipated that North Korea will react strongly. North Korea has previously accused its adversaries of using the consultation group as a platform to scheme a nuclear attack against them.
The growing nuclear arsenal of North Korea poses a significant security challenge to South Korea, a country that does not possess nuclear weapons and heavily relies on the U.S. for protection under its “nuclear umbrella.” With North Korea’s recent weapons tests suggesting advancements toward acquiring long-range nuclear missiles capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, doubts have emerged among experts and politicians in South Korea regarding the credibility of the U.S. commitment.
Concerns about North Korea have deepened further following a deal between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin in June, where both nations vowed to assist each other if attacked and increase bilateral cooperation. This pact is seen as the strongest tie between the two countries since the conclusion of the Cold War, adding to the apprehensions in the region.
