US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his South Korean counterpart Lee Jong-sup announced Tuesday, January 31 in Seoul the strengthening of their military and security cooperation in the face of the desires of North Korea, which has nuclear weapons.
The two countries agreed to "
extend and strengthen the level and scale
" of their joint military exercises in the face of "
continued provocations
" from Pyongyang, the two representatives explained in a joint statement.
“Irreversible” nuclear power
Seoul sought to reassure a rather worried public about US deterrence commitments after Pyongyang declared its status as an "
irreversible
" nuclear power in 2022. Military tensions on the peninsula have risen sharply in the past year: the North Korea has conducted a record number of weapons tests, including that of its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) to date, despite international sanctions.
On December 26, five North Korean drones entered the territory of South Korea, an unprecedented incident in five years that prompted Seoul to send air fighters in response.
The strengthening of cooperation between Washington and Seoul is necessary in view of the "
changes in the security environment
", estimated Lee Jong-sup in a press conference, mentioning "
recent attempts by North Korea to strengthen its nuclear and missile programs
.
A “simulation exercise” planned
The two allies will organize a "
simulation exercise
" in February to improve their communication, particularly in terms of "
deterrence and response options
" to the nuclear threats posed by Pyongyang on the peninsula.
The joint operations of the United States and South Korea infuriate the North, which sees them as harbingers of an imminent invasion and has often responded with threats and military maneuvers.
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This is Lloyd Austin's third visit to Seoul as US Secretary of Defense.
He met on Tuesday, in addition to his counterpart, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol.
The latter hinted this month that his country was considering developing its own nuclear weapons.
It was the first time in decades that a South Korean leader had raised the idea, a sign that concerns about the US involvement are growing.
“End these worries”
But the Yoon administration has since backtracked, emphasizing that South Korea is against the proliferation of atomic weapons.
For his part, Lloyd Austin reiterated the United States' commitment on Tuesday, saying that the American arsenal "
in its entirety
", but in particular its nuclear weapons, deterred attacks against its allies.
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According to researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, Hong Min, Lloyd Austin's visit reflects Washington's desire to "
put an end to these
growing concerns" in South Korea.
In the North, Kim Jong-un recently called for an "
exponential
" increase in Pyongyang's nuclear armament and a "
massive reinforcement of its military power
" generally in 2023, in the face of what he considers to be threats from the United States and its neighbor on the peninsula.
