The United States and South Korea have reached a historic agreement to deal with North Korea’s nuclear threat.
Washington has agreed to periodically deploy US nuclear-armed submarines to South Korea and involve Seoul in nuclear planning activities.
In return, South Korea has agreed not to develop its nuclear weapons.
US President Joe Biden said that the Washington Declaration will strengthen the cooperation of allies in preventing North Korean aggression.
There has been concern on both sides about the nuclear threat posed by North Korea. Pyongyang is developing tactical nuclear weapons that can target South Korea, and is improving its long-range missiles that can reach the US mainland.
The US already has a treaty obligation to defend South Korea, and has previously pledged to use nuclear weapons if necessary. But some in South Korea have begun to question that commitment and have called for the country to pursue its nuclear program.
South Korea’s president, Yoon Seok-yul, who was at the White House for an official visit, said the Washington declaration was “unprecedented” by the U.S. to boost defenses, deter attacks and protect U.S. allies from the use of nuclear weapons. ” indicates commitment.
According to a senior administration official, the new agreement is the result of months of negotiations.
Under the new deal, the US will further underline its defense commitments by sending nuclear-armed submarines to South Korea for the first time in 40 years, along with other strategic assets, including nuclear-capable bombers. are
The two sides will also form a Nuclear Consultative Group to discuss nuclear planning issues.
Politicians in Seoul have long urged Washington to get more involved in planning when and how to use nuclear weapons against North Korea.
As North Korea’s nuclear arsenal has grown in size and sophistication, South Koreans have become wary of being in the dark about what would move Mr. Biden to push the nuclear button on their behalf.
A fear that Washington might abandon Seoul led to calls for South Korea to develop its nuclear weapons.
But in January, Mr. Yun alarmed policymakers in Washington when he became the first South Korean president to put the idea back on the table in decades.
It suddenly became clear to the US that words and gestures of reassurance would not work and that it would have to offer something concrete if it was to deter South Korea from wanting to build its own bombs.
Furthermore, Mr. Yun had made it clear that he expected to return home after “strong” progress.
Doyeon Kim of the Center for a New American Security said it was a “huge win” for South Korea to join the nuclear program.
“So far, the tabletop exercises will end before Washington decides to use nuclear weapons,” Ms. Kim said.
“The United States had considered sharing such information highly classified, but given North Korea’s range of nuclear weapons, it is necessary to practice and train for this scenario.”
This new Nuclear Consultative Group ticks the box, calling for increased involvement from the South Korean government. But the biggest question is whether it will solve the problems of the people.
It does not include a full commitment by the US to use nuclear weapons to defend South Korea if North Korea attacks.
However, on Wednesday Mr Biden said: “A nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States or its allies and partners is unacceptable and would result in the end of any regime that would take such action.”
In return, the US has demanded that South Korea remain a non-nuclear state and a staunch advocate of nuclear non-proliferation. The United States considers it important to prevent South Korea from going nuclear, fearing that if it fails, other countries may follow suit.
But those U.S. pledges are unlikely to fully satisfy an influential and increasingly vocal group of academics, scientists and members of South Korea’s ruling party who are urging Seoul to arm itself. are
Dr. Cheong Seong-chang, a leading proponent of South Korea’s nuclear program, said that while there were many positive aspects to the announcement, it was deeply regrettable that South Korea had violated its right to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. has been openly abandoned. ]”, adding that it “further strengthened our nuclear shackles”.
President Biden said that the United States is continuing its efforts to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table. Washington says Pyongyang has ignored multiple requests to talk without preconditions.
The US hopes to convince North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, but last year North Korean leader Kim Jong-un described the country’s denuclearization as “irreversible”.
Some experts say it now makes more sense to talk about arms control than denuclearization.
