Seoul, Washington to perform military drills next August

South Korea and the United States will perform joint military drills with North Korea's nuclear use scenario taken into consideration starting from the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) drill next August at the earliest. A hotline system will connect the two heads of state 24/7 in case of emergency. Indeed, an integrated system of extended deterrence will be put in place to join the two allies’ military capabilities involving U.S. strategic assets against North Korean nuclear provocations.

South Korea and the United States agreed upon a new set of military guidelines in the second Nuclear Consultative Group meeting in Washington, D.C. last Friday (local time). South Korean First Deputy Director Kim Tae-hyo at the Office of National Security commented, "We can take military action to protect each other on land, at sea, and in the air in case of nuclear emergency only when we make full use of U.S. nuclear weapons, and South Korean non-nuclear weapons and strategic assets. To make it happen, we need actual training drills.”

Their joint drills have not reflected a response scenario in the case of North Korea's use of nuclear weapons because the joint operational scheme did not reflect the U.S. nuclear umbrella system. First Deputy Director Kim said, "Unlike the previous U.S. umbrella under which Washington merely ensures that it retaliates against nuclear threats because it has got our back, the updated scheme intends to help the two allies communicate, make preparations, and make a nuclear response from the very beginning.”

The pair agreed that it would issue a comprehensive set of guidelines to ensure a joint response to North Korean nuclear action and a planning and operational roadmap for nuclear strategies exclusive to the Korean peninsula by the middle of next year. The plan is expected to deal with how nuclear intelligence is shared, how security systems are built, procedural steps and systems for discussion and communication in case of nuclear emergency, and plans to manage nuclear crisis and reduce relevant risks.


weappon@donga.com