[AP/Yonhap]
South Korea and the United States agreed to launch a high-level dialogue to discuss how to carry out the US "extended deterrence" protection of the Asian ally from nuclear and missile threats from North Korea.
The agreement to establish the "Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group" was reached in "two plus two" alliance talks that brought together South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and Defense Minister Han Min-koo, and their US counterparts, Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Ash Carter.
It represented a firmer commitment from Washington to use nuclear weapons and all other military capabilities to defend the ally amid heightened security concerns in South Korea in the wake of the North's fifth nuclear test last month and a series ballistic missile launches.
"Extended deterrence" refers to the commitment to use nuclear weapons to deter attacks on allies. The US has provided extended deterrence or a "nuclear umbrella" to South Korea after withdrawing nuclear warheads from the country in the early 1990s.
Ensuring the commitment's implementation was a key focus of Wednesday's talks.
"I assured the minister of our commitment, the United States' commitment, to defend South Korea through a robust combined defense posture and through extended deterrence, including the US nuclear umbrella, conventional strike and missile defense capabilities," Kerry said during a joint news conference with Yun after the talks.
"Let me be clear. Any attack on the United States or its allies will be defeated and any use of nuclear weapons will be met with an effective and overwhelming response. To that end, I'm pleased that we agreed to establish a dialogue on extended deterrence," he said.
Kerry said the vice-minister-level dialogue will comprise foreign and defense ministries of the two countries.
"This step that we're taking on the extended deterrence is further evidence of our readiness, our resolve and our determination across governments to protect ourselves from threats from North Korea," he said.
Kerry also said the US will never accept North Korea as a nuclear state.
"If the North continues to violate international law by pursuing its ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs, it will come under even stiffer sanctions, greater pressure and be left further and further behind while the rest of the region prospers," he said.
Kerry also said the US will deploy the THAAD missile defense system to the South as early as possible.'
Yun said that the two countries will discuss details of extended deterrence when their defense ministers hold annual talks on Thursday. The meeting could include discussions on bringing in US strategic assets to South Korea, such as nuclear-capable B-52 and B-1B bombers, F-22 stealth fighter jets and nuclear-powered, cruise-missile submarines.
(Yonhap)
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
