US-Japan Foreign and Defense Talks ‘Extended Nuclear Deterrence’, ROK-US Defense ‘US Nuclear NCG Limited’
In the US-Japan system, the establishment of the Joint Joint Operations Command (JJOC) of the Self-Defense Forces was agreed upon for ‘extended nuclear deterrence’, while the ROK-US system was limited to the ‘ROK-US Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG)’ excluded from the ‘nuclear umbrella’, confirming the gap in the limitation of ‘US nuclear and Korean conventional weapons’.
The joint statement of the US-Japan Foreign and Defense Quadrilateral Talks held in Japan for 28 consecutive days stated that “the two countries discussed ways to strengthen extended deterrence to promote regional stability and prevent the outbreak of conflict,” and Reuters reported that “the two ministers discussed for the first time ‘extended deterrence,’ a term used by the US to refer to its commitment to use nuclear power to deter attacks on its allies.” Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa officially announced to reporters ahead of the 2+2 meeting, “As the nuclear threat around Japan becomes increasingly serious, it is important to further strengthen extended deterrence. I welcome the continued deepening of discussions on this issue.”
On the other hand, the joint press release from the ROK-US Defense Ministerial Meeting stated, “Secretary Austin and Secretary Shin mentioned the ‘Korean Peninsula Nuclear Deterrence and Nuclear Operations Guidelines’ adopted in Washington, D.C. on the 11th and evaluated that the US-ROK Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) operation is making progress,” according to Voice of America (VOA).
The US-Japan Quadrilateral Meeting stated, “China’s foreign policy is attempting to reorganize the international order for its own benefit at the expense of other countries,” and “This behavior is a serious concern for the ROK-US alliance and the international community as a whole, and is the greatest strategic challenge in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond,” resulting in the US and Japan agreeing to strengthen the anti-China front regarding South Korea’s security. Regarding the US-Japan talks, Reuters reported that “the United States has announced plans for a major reorganization of its military commands in Japan to deepen cooperation with its allies as both countries identify China as the ‘greatest strategic challenge’ facing the region,” and that “the new command structure will be implemented in parallel with Tokyo’s own plan to establish a joint command for its militaries by March 2025,” the ministers said in a joint statement.
After the '2+2' meeting, U.S. Secretary of Defense Austin told reporters, "The United States will elevate U.S. Forces Japan to a joint force command with expanded mission and operational responsibilities," adding, "This will be the most significant change since the establishment of U.S. Forces Japan, and one of the most powerful improvements in our military relationship with Japan in 70 years." Regarding the U.S.-Japan Quadrilateral Joint Statement, VOA reported, "In addition to the North Korea issue, the joint statement also included the need for the U.S. to strengthen its extended deterrence against Japan and concerns about China's unilateral attempts to change the status quo," adding, "The U.S. also expressed its welcome position on the establishment of the Joint Joint Operations Command (JJOC) of Japan's Self-Defense Forces."
Regarding the meeting between Minister of National Defense Shin Won-sik and Secretary Austin, the US Department of Defense announced that <the two secretaries made it clear that the illegal arms trade and transfer of advanced technology between the two countries is a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions regarding military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, and emphasized that they will continue to implement UN Security Council sanctions through close cooperation with the international community>, and <Secretary Austin and Secretary Shin mentioned the ‘Korean Peninsula Nuclear Deterrence and Nuclear Operations Guidelines’ adopted in Washington D.C. on the 11th and said that they “assessed that the operation of the US-ROK Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) is making progress.”>, limiting it to the ‘ROK-US Nuclear Consultative Group.
The US Department of Defense announced the meeting between Secretary Austin and Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara in a joint statement, stating that “the two ministers shared their assessment of the worsening security environment in the region, including North Korea’s continued destabilizing behavior and its continued pursuit of illicit nuclear and ballistic missile programs, China’s accelerated and opaque nuclear arsenal expansion, and Russia’s expanded military cooperation with North Korea and the weakening of arms control and the global nonproliferation regime through illicit weapons transfers,” directly mentioning “illegal nuclear North Korea and Chinese nuclear expansion.”
The US-Japan joint statement continued by stating that “the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to close cooperation on U.S. nuclear policy and posture and on nuclear and non-nuclear military issues within the alliance,” and regarding the upgraded USFJ, it stated that “the new command structure will be implemented in parallel with Tokyo’s own plan to establish a joint command for its own forces by March 2025.”
Regarding the Korea-US Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG), Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy Vipin Narang stated on VOA on the 16th, “Only the US President has the authority to decide on the actual use of nuclear weapons, and in the situation on the Korean Peninsula, if the US President thinks he should approve and execute the use of nuclear weapons, Korea can contribute conventional forces,” and “US bombers can be escorted or refueled by Korean aircraft, and conventional forces can weaken the air defense network. Nuclear operations require various conventional support, and we approach this issue as an equal partner with Korea,” specifying it as a “US nuclear support system for Korea’s conventional weapons.”
Narang, the highest-ranking official in the NCG working group, explained in his explanation that day, “In the Washington Declaration, the US promised to launch and establish the NCG, and President Yoon promised to comply with Korea’s nonproliferation obligations under the NPT,” and “The US government’s position is that fulfilling its nonproliferation obligations and receiving guaranteed extended deterrence from the US is the best for Korea’s security, and I think the Korean government explained this well. “I think my colleagues at the ROK Ministry of National Defense did a very good job of explaining that the NCG provides assurance that the United States is committed to deploying capabilities in Korea and upholding its extended deterrence commitments,” he said.
The US Department of Defense’s press release on the ROK-US Defense Ministerial Meeting on the 28th said, “Minister Shin emphasized that North Korea’s recent continued act of dispersing trash balloons is a clear violation of the Armistice Agreement and a threat to South Korea’s sovereignty, and the two ministers strongly urged North Korea to immediately cease these provocative acts.” “Regarding military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, they made it clear that the illegal arms trade and transfer of advanced technology between the two countries is a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions. They emphasized that they will continue to implement UN Security Council sanctions through close cooperation with the international community.”