{"id":2201764,"date":"2023-07-21T17:00:58","date_gmt":"2023-07-21T08:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2201764"},"modified":"2023-07-24T17:18:33","modified_gmt":"2023-07-24T08:18:33","slug":"us-boosts-extended-deterrence-visibility-to-ensure-reciprocal-assurances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/07\/us-boosts-extended-deterrence-visibility-to-ensure-reciprocal-assurances\/","title":{"rendered":"US boosts extended deterrence visibility to ensure reciprocal assurances"},"content":{"rendered":"
Nearly three months since U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol announced the historic <\/span>Washington Declaration<\/span><\/a>, tangible elements of the agreement are beginning to manifest. However, whether these efforts can quell the calls for independent South Korean nuclear capability is unclear.<\/span><\/p>\n On Tuesday, the U.S. and South Korea conducted the <\/span>inaugural meeting<\/span><\/a> of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG). Coinciding with the meeting, an <\/span>Ohio-class U.S. ballistic missile submarine<\/span><\/a> (SSBN) made its way into the port of Busan, South Korea, marking the first visit by such a submarine since 1981.<\/span><\/p>\n In addition, the submarine\u2019s arrival represents the first entry of U.S. nuclear weapons into South Korean territory, albeit territorial waters, since the removal of American tactical nuclear weapons from the country in Dec. 1991.<\/span><\/p>\n THE NUCLEAR CONSULTATIVE GROUP<\/b><\/p>\n The first meeting of the NCG was a highly orchestrated affair. After the meeting, <\/span>public messaging<\/span><\/a> from both countries aligned with the tenets outlined in the Washington Declaration. For instance, Washington and Seoul jointly asserted that any North Korean nuclear attack would be met with a \u201cswift, overwhelming and decisive\u201d response.<\/span><\/p>\n The NCG expands the array of U.S.-South Korea consultative mechanisms, joining others like the <\/span>Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue<\/span><\/a>, the <\/span>Deterrence Strategy Committee<\/span><\/a> and the <\/span>Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n The last of these functions at the under-secretary level, without direct involvement in nuclear issues. The assistant secretary-level NCG, which convened at a higher vice-ministerial level for its inaugural session, will augment these existing arrangements.<\/span><\/p>\n Given these discussions\u2019 sensitivity and strategic implications, it is understandable that both countries have limited public disclosures on the specifics of the inaugural NCG meeting\u2019s proceedings. However, from what can be gleaned from public reports, the NCG will serve as a conduit for the U.S. and South Korea to discuss joint planning and operations for various nuclear contingencies.<\/span><\/p>\n It should be noted that the NCG will not entail South Korea\u2019s involvement in U.S. nuclear war planning. This planning, executed by the U.S. Strategic Command, remains a U.S. prerogative across all its alliances, including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.<\/span><\/p>\n Despite these clarifications, the swift convening of the NCG is a clear indicator that the Washington Declaration\u2019s vision is quickly materializing. Future meetings will likely provide more insight into the scope of bilateral consultations, and the NCG is set to continue being an essential and flexible forum for addressing South Korean apprehensions about the evolving nuclear threat environment on the Korean Peninsula.<\/span><\/p>\n