WASHINGTON: The United States and Southern Korea on Fri (Sep 16) denounced North Korea’s first-use nuclear doctrine unveiled this month because “escalatory and destabilising” and Washington promised to continue to deploy and exercise strategic assets to deter and respond to Pyongyang.
The joint statement following a vice ministerial-level conference of the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Discussion Group (EDSCG), the first convening of the body since 2018, reiterated the “ironclad” US commitment to defend South Korea and mentioned any North Korean nuclear attack would be met with an “overwhelming and decisive response”.
The declaration said the countries “committed to continue efforts to employ all aspects of both countries’ national power to strengthen the Alliance deterrence posture”.
“The United states of america committed to strengthen coordination with the ROK to continue to deploy plus exercise strategic possessions in the region in a well-timed and effective manner to deter and respond to the DPRK and enhance regional security, ” it said, referring to Southern Korea and Northern Korea by the initials of their official names.
The statement referred to combined schooling of F-35A fighter jets in This summer and an upcoming deployment of the USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group in the region “as a clear demonstration of such US commitment”.
It observed that the EDSCG abordnung had inspected the US B-52 tactical bomber and said the two countries would look to enhance tactical readiness through improved information sharing, training, and exercises.
They also pledged in order to strengthen the alliance’s missile response abilities and posture.