President Yoon and his wife boarded the US nuclear submarine, launched two North Korean missiles, ‘disrupted’ the nuclear agreement between the two Koreas
President Yoon Seok-yeol and his wife boarded the U.S. nuclear submarine at the port of Busan, and launched two North Korean ballistic missiles simultaneously, officially destroying the 1992 inter-Korean nuclear agreement.
President Yoon and his wife inspected the inside of the Kentucky ship anchored at the Busan Naval Operations Base in the afternoon, and even demonstrated the operation of the periscope directly to the press as a ship commander.
The New York Times reported, “The United States withdrew all tactical nuclear weapons from South Korea by 1991 as part of efforts to reduce global nuclear weapons, and in 1992, the two Koreas agreed not to 'test, manufacture, produce, receive, possess, store, deploy, or use nuclear weapons'. Agreed,” he said.
The New York Times continued, “North Korea violated that agreement by developing and testing nuclear weapons. Some analysts in South Korea ask if South Korea violated the agreement by deploying a US nuclear missile submarine in one of its ports. The Ministry of National Defense insisted that the port call did not violate the inter-Korean agreement.”
Prior to the US nuclear submarine's Busan port call, White House Indo-Pacific Coordinator Kurt Campbell told reporters in Seoul on the 18th, referring to the port in South Korea's southeast corner, "As we speak, an American nuclear submarine is making a port in Busan today. "he said.
A few hours after the press conference, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles from the East Coast, and the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff “saw two short-range ballistic missiles launched by North Korea into the East Sea from the Sunan area from 3:30 a.m. to 3:46 a.m.” said.
Vice Minister of National Defense Shin Beom-cheol said on a radio broadcast that the flight distance of the North Korean missile was “the distance (from Sunan, Pyongyang) to Busan,” adding, “That means (North Korea) is aware of the US strategic nuclear submarine.”
Earlier on the 12th, North Korea launched the latest intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-18, in response to the US nuclear submarine bound for South Korea.
At the founding meeting of the Korea Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) led by White House Coordinator Campbell and President Yoon held at the Presidential Office on the 18th, President Yoon’s remarks that “relationships with the United States are being upgraded to a ‘nuclear-based alliance’” were made public.
A Nuclear Group statement said, "A nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States or its allies is unacceptable and will result in the end of that regime."
Regarding North Korea's two missile launches, the US State Department said, "It is a violation of a number of UN Security Council resolutions and a threat to North Korea's neighbors and the international community." I urge you,” he told Voice of America (VOA).
VOA said, “The launch by North Korea took place a day after the United States and South Korea held a meeting to launch the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) and the US strategic nuclear submarine entered Busan.”
Regarding the port call in Busan, the U.S. Pacific Command announced on the 19th that “the port call of the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine Kentucky reflects the ironclad U.S. commitment to South Korea for our extended deterrence guarantee.”
President Yoon, who was on board and on patrol, said, “It is meaningful and really reassuring to visit the USS SSBN Kentucky (SSBN-737), which is one of the most powerful strategic assets in existence.” It demonstrated the will of both the ROK and the US to expand the scope of action and strengthen the implementation of extended deterrence.”