Part 1 of 2 Parts
     Talks with the U.S. on management of U.S. nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula are proceeding between South Korean (S.K.) officials and U.S. officials. U.S. President Biden denied that the two countries were discussing joint nuclear exercises while S.K. maintained that they were discussing involvement with U.S. nuclear weapons management because of increasing threats from North Korea (N.K.).
     The alleged difference between S.K. and the U.S. arose as S.K. is seeking a greater U.S. security commitment after North Korea’s record number of recent missile tests. The revision of the nuclear doctrine of N.K. last year is causing great concern among many South Koreans.
     Some analysts say that S.K.’s statement on the discussion is probably based on an agreement between their defense officials in November to conduct table-top exercises, usually computer simulations, annually. In addition, there were discussions of further strengthening the alliance’s information sharing, joint planning and execution. Last November, the alliance also reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to provide extended deterrence. This was a reference to a U.S. promise to use full U.S. capabilities, including nuclear weapons, to protect its allies.
     In a recent interview published last Monday, S.K. President Yoon Suk Yeol said that S.K. and the U.S. were pushing for joint planning and training involving U.S. nuclear assets. He said that the U.S. responded positively to the idea. Asked by a reporter after the interview was published about whether the U.S. and S.K. were discussing joint nuclear exercise, President Biden said “No.”
      After Biden’s comments created a brief stir in S.K., Yoon’s top adviser for press affairs, Kim Eun-hye, issued a statement Tuesday to reconfirm the earlier remarks by Yoon. Kim said that the two countries “are discussing an intel-sharing, a joint planning and subsequent joint execution plans over the management of U.S. nuclear assets in response to North Korea’s nuclear (threats).”
      The U.S. National Security Council issued a statement last Tuesday that stated that Biden and Yoon “tasked their teams to plan for an effective coordinated response to a range of scenarios, including nuclear use by North Korea.”
      A senior Biden administration official said U.S. and S.K. are expected to hold table-top exercises soon to lay out a potential joint response to a ranges of scenarios. These scenarios include deployment of a nuclear weapon by N.K. The official quoted requested anonymity when discussing such planning.
      Moon Seong Mook is an analyst for the Seoul-based Korea Research Institute for National Strategy. He said that Yoon was probably referring to the November agreement on the alliance’s capabilities. He added that these definitely include U.S. nuclear assets that are essential to the U.S. extended deterrence commitment.
     Moon, a retired brigadier general, went on to say, “South Korea isn’t a nuclear state, so it won’t be likely South Korea jointly using U.S. nuclear weapons. But the wording (in the November agreement) meant that South and the U.S. would consult on the operations of U.S. nukes from the planning stage until the training stage.”
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