S. Korea-U.S. nuclear consulting group aims to curb N. Korea's nuclear threat

SEOUL, July 18 (Yonhap) -- A bilateral nuclear consultative group between South Korea and the United States is aimed at curbing North Korea's nuclear threat, Seoul's vice defense chief said Tuesday, shortly before the allies hold the group's first meeting on nuclear deterrence.

President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed in their summit in April to create the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) and temporarily deploy more nuclear-capable assets to South Korea, in a clear message to North Korea about nuclear deterrence.

Vice Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul told a KBS radio interview that the NCG is eventually aimed at "having the power to curb North Korea's nuclear threat through cooperation of extended deterrence with the U.S."

Last week, North Korea test-fired a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile under the guidance of leader Kim Jong-un despite international condemnation over its recent missile launches.

"If you look at North Korea's recent activities, it appears to have made a decision that it is better to pressure South Korea with nuclear capabilities and get the upper hand on the Korean Peninsula," Shin said. "What's most urgent is deterring North Korea's nuclear capabilities."

Shin said bilateral discussions on issues related to nuclear operation will expand through the NCG and that it will take a "deep" dive on effective ways for nuclear deterrence militarily, such as information sharing, joint planning and joint training.

The U.S. Department of Defense also noted that the NCG meeting is aimed at carrying out the April agreement between Yoon and Biden.

"The goal of that meeting is to begin implementing the Washington Declaration ... which reaffirms our joint extended deterrence in the region," Sabrina Singh, the Pentagon's deputy press secretary, said in a briefing on Monday (U.S. time).

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
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