Seoul, Dec 16 (EFE).- South Korea and the United States agreed on Friday to establish a joint nuclear strategy by the middle of next year to strengthen deterrence against North Korea.
“(The two sides) agreed to complete guidelines regarding the planning and operation of a nuclear strategy by the middle of next year,” South Korean Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo said at a press conference after the second meeting of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) in Washington.
“In other words, (we) agreed to complete the overall guidelines on how to deter and respond to North Korean threats next year,” he added, local agency Yonhap reported.
Kim said that the guidelines would cover various issues relating to sharing of nuclear information, establishing security mechanisms, formulating consultation procedures in the event of a nuclear crisis, risk reduction and crisis management and the operation of a real-time leader-level communication channel.
“While strongly deterring North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, (the allies) will be able to take an immediate, overwhelming and decisive response measure in the event of a North Korean nuclear attack,” the South Korean official said.
The second session of the NCG, in which some 60 military and diplomatic officials from both countries participated, took place on Friday.
Both countries established the NCG in April to strengthen extended deterrence, Washington’s commitment to protect Seoul from a possible attack by Pyongyang.
The second meeting took place at a time marked by the recent launch into orbit of North Korea’s first spy satellite, growing closeness between Pyongyang and Moscow and the possibility of the regime launching an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) before the end of the year, according to Seoul.
After the meeting, both sides issued a statement reaffirming that any nuclear attack by North Korea against the US and its allies would result in the “end of the Kim regime,” referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
They also committed to holding the third meeting of the NCG in South Korea in summer next year. EFE
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