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Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin of the US shakes hands with Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup of South Korea on Jan. 31 ahead of bilateral talks by the defense chiefs. (courtesy of the Ministry of National Defense)

South Korea and the US pledged Tuesday to consult closely on the timely and coordinated deployment of US strategic weapons on the Korean Peninsula in response to advancements in North Korea’s nuclear and missile capabilities.

In particular, the US announced plans for additional deployment of F-22s and other advanced fighter aircraft on the peninsula, along with an aircraft carrier strike group.

In a joint press conference held after South Korea-US defense chief talks at the Ministry of National Defense complex in Seoul that day, South Korean Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-sup and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stressed their aim of increasing extended deterrence implementation capabilities.

Under the concept of extended deterrence, the US provides deterrence against any actual or threatened nuclear attack or threat against an ally, which is regarded as equivalent to an attack against its own territory.

“Our commitment to the defense of the ROK remains ironclad,” Austin reiterated at the press conference, using an abbreviated form of Korea's official name.

“The United States stands firm in its extended deterrence commitment, and that includes the full range of US defense capabilities, including our conventional, nuclear, and missile defense capabilities,” he continued.

Lee also said that the two sides “share[d] the sentiment that the combined flight training event executed with the deployment of US strategic bombers last year was the embodiment of extended deterrence in action that displayed various deterrence capabilities of the alliance, and agreed to closely consult for timely and coordinated deployment of strategic US assets.”

When asked by a reporter what “timely and coordinated deployment of strategic assets” referred to, Austin mentioned the deployment last year of fifth-generation F-22 and F-35 fighter aircraft with stealth capabilities and a carrier strike group including the nuclear-powered USS Ronald Reagan.

“You can look for more of that kind of activity going forward. But in addition to that, you can look to see deeper consultation between our two countries and that leadership,” he added.

In the past, South Korea has asked the US to send more strategic weapons more frequently when crises have escalated on the Korean Peninsula.

It is seen as unusual for a senior US official on security policies to publicly make statements along these lines. Austin’s remarks are being interpreted as a warning message to North Korea, while also responding to skepticism that has been raised in the South over the US commitment to extended deterrence.

In terms of measures to reinforce extended deterrence implementation capabilities, Lee said these would be pursued in three different areas: information sharing, joint planning and execution, and consultation mechanisms. This signals that the two sides intend to bolster the role and content of their existing bilateral consultation.

In the area of information sharing, South Korea and the US plan to expand the scope of information shared in connection with the North Korean nuclear threat. In the area of joint execution, they plan to revise their tailored deterrence strategy (TDS) ahead of their Security Consultative Meeting this fall.

The TDS is a joint South Korea-US deterrence strategy that is optimized to suit the situation on the Korean Peninsula in consideration of the nature of North Korea’s leadership and the threats posed by North Korean nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.

Also in the area of joint execution, the two sides announced plans to conduct a Deterrence Strategy Committee table-top exercise (DSC TTX) this month. The two ministers further agreed to expand and reinforce the scope and level of joint military exercises and training.

In addition, the two defense chiefs discussed plans for increasing trilateral security cooperation with Japan, including Defense Trilateral Talks (DTT) in the near future to promote real-time sharing of North Korea missile warning information as agreed upon by the three sides’ leaders last November.

Austin distanced himself from calls for South Korea’s nuclear armament, stressing that the two sides were “committed to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”

Commenting on the matter of weapons support to Ukraine, Lee mentioned that he had spoken on Monday with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. During the conversation, he did not give a concrete response on South Korean weapons support, he explained.

“I'd like to leave my answer at that we are directing our close attention to the situation in Ukraine,” he added, leaving open the possibility that Seoul could change its policy approach depending on the situation.

Meeting with Austin the same day at his presidential office in Seoul’s Yongsan neighborhood, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol stressed the importance of “realistic” joint exercises between South Korea and the US.

Kim Eun-hye, senior secretary to the president for press affairs, quoted Yoon as expressing praise for “South Korea and the US’s decision for the first time to hold uninterrupted 11-day Freedom Shield joint exercises during the first half of this year, along with the expanded scale of joint field maneuver exercises.”

By Kwon Hyuk-chul, staff reporter

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