White House ‘extended deterrence’ Kim Tae-hyo ‘separation of North Korean nuclear test’ ROK-US nuclear talks NCG clash
The Washington meeting of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) between South Korea and the United States was held by Gary Seymour, former White House coordinator for weapons of mass destruction, who said, “It shows how important the U.S. considers the activities of the Extended Deterrence Strategic Council and its commitment to extended deterrence,” while Deputy National Security Director Kim Tae-hyo said, on the 15th “It is separate from the North Korean nuclear test,” he said. “In the future, the deployment of nuclear strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula will be carried out systematically in conjunction with the strengthening of extended deterrence,” and they said differently as “Japan and Australia jointly respond to regional threats in the Indo-Pacific region.”
In particular, Deputy Director Kim spoke about ‘North Korean reconnaissance satellites and North Korean nuclear tests’ to Korean reporters only on this day as ‘separate’ from the NCG of the ROK-US nuclear talks.
At a meeting attended only by Korean reporters, Deputy Director Kim responded to the question, “Will the NCG operate in case of additional nuclear tests by North Korea?” “There were six nuclear tests by North Korea, but no one defined them as nuclear attacks on the Korean territory.” Future nuclear tests are also not included in the NCG. “It will be discussed separately and intensively by the ROK-US policy authorities,” he said.
Deputy Director Kim told South Korean reporters upon entering the U.S. on the 14th, "I think there is a possibility of North Korea launching an ICBM in December," and when asked whether information was shared between the South Korean and U.S. authorities, he said, "I cannot reveal any more."
He continued, "Ballistic missiles are a subject of review for extended deterrence between South Korea and the United States. Regardless of whether a ballistic missile is short or long, if you load it with a nuclear weapon, it becomes a nuclear threat and a nuclear attack against us. We want to prevent North Korea's nuclear attack in advance, and yet, “If North Korea misjudges, extended deterrence will determine how to firmly suppress a nuclear attack in the early stage,” he said, interpreting the ‘extended deterrence’ regulation as a ‘nuclear threat attack against South Korea.’
Deputy Director Kim said in the Washington Declaration in April, “We declared the establishment of a new Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) to manage North Korea’s threat to the non-proliferation regime,” and added, “President Biden will strengthen the United States’ extended deterrence against Korea and its people.” “The two leaders reaffirmed that the nuclear attack on South Korea is permanent and ironclad and that any nuclear attack by North Korea against South Korea will be met with an immediate, overwhelming, and decisive response,” and added, “The two leaders agreed to provide a means to advance the common goal of achieving complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.” “We are firmly pursuing dialogue and diplomacy without preconditions with North Korea,” he concluded, clearly confirming the “proliferation deterrence nuclear consultative group NCG” as the goal of “denuclearization of North Korea and South Korea” and “diplomacy,” and President Yoon and President Biden. This was signed.
A meeting of delegations from both sides, headed by Maher Bittar, White House NSC Coordinator for Intelligence and Defense Policy, and Deputy Minister for National Security Kim Kim, made a joint statement on the 15th, saying, “The United States has a firm commitment to extended deterrence against South Korea, backed by all categories of U.S. capabilities, including nuclear weapons.” “We reaffirmed that,” he said, referring to ‘extended deterrence in Korea.’
Deputy Director Kim said in an announcement to the Korean media, "At the same time that an integrated extended deterrence system is in place between Korea and the United States, Australia, including Japan, and other countries in the Indo-Pacific region are also very interested in regional nuclear threats, including threats from North Korea." “Apart from South Korea and the United States operating an extended deterrence system at the bilateral level, it is also possible for many of them to have separate extended deterrence talks with other countries in the region, including Japan,” he said in terms of ‘intra-regional threats’ and ‘joint response.’
Regarding the results of the second NCG meeting, Seymour, former White House coordinator for weapons of mass destruction, said on the 15th, “It shows how important the United States considers the activities of the Extended Deterrence Strategic Council and its commitment to extended deterrence,” and added, “North Korea will not pose a nuclear threat or threat. “The purpose of this meeting is to ensure that no benefit can be gained from a conventional military attack on Korea,” he said through the Voice of America (VOA).
Deputy Director Kim told Korean reporters, “Apart from the operation of the bilateral extended deterrence system between South Korea and the United States, it is also possible to hold separate extended deterrence dialogue with other countries in the region, including Japan,” adding, “Guidelines for responding to North Korea’s nuclear attack are in place.” It's NCG. If a reconnaissance satellite or ICBM is not equipped with a nuclear warhead, it is a separate situation because the nuclear scenario has not been activated. There were six nuclear tests by North Korea, but no one defined them as nuclear attacks on South Korean territory. Future nuclear tests are also not included in the NCG. “It will be intensively discussed separately by the ROK-US policy authorities,” he said, separating the North Korean reconnaissance satellite and the North Korean nuclear test as ‘separate’ from the ROK-US nuclear negotiations.
Deputy Director Kim said at a meeting with Korean correspondents that day, “The U.S. and South Korea have decided to create guidelines for nuclear strategy planning and operation by the middle of next year, and through these, complete the establishment of an extended deterrence system around June next year.” The guidelines are “North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.” “It will be a comprehensive guideline on how to suppress and respond to threats,” he said. In addition, in response to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, nuclear operational exercises will be conducted at the “Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS),” a joint U.S.-ROK exercise, in August next year. VOA reported that he said he did so.
The U.S. National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the Senate and House of Representatives, stipulates that the Korean military must submit a 'Secretary of Defense report' as a condition for the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command's transfer of wartime operational control. “We believe this is very important in identifying and responding to malign activities by China and North Korea that threaten the interests of the United States and its allies and partners,” and bundled “China and North Korea activities” into a common provision.
The National Defense Authorization Act specified the ‘Washington Declaration’, saying, “We will strengthen our alliance with Korea, including deepening cooperation on nuclear deterrence, as emphasized in the Washington Declaration adopted by President Biden and President Yoon during the state visit of South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol.”
President Yoon’s ‘Washington Declaration’ on April 26 said, “We responded to the changing threats on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific,” and “Both South Korea and the United States strive for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, and the measures we are taking together are in line with these.” The target was defined as 'Indo-Pacific security' as it will further develop the fundamental goal.
<Reference to the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act, ‘Korean Peninsula and Taiwan Information Sharing’, ‘Joint Response to China and North Korea,’ dated December 15, 2023>