The United States promised to increase military assistance to South Korea, including using its nuclear capabilities.

This is stated in a joint statement by US and South Korean officials who are members of the so-called Extended Deterrence Strategy Council.

The document was published on the Pentagon website.

"The United States reaffirmed its strong and unwavering commitment to use the full range of its military capabilities (including nuclear, conventional, anti-missile, and other advanced non-nuclear weapons) to provide enhanced deterrence in the interests of the Republic of Korea," the statement said.

In particular, the Americans pledged to improve coordination with their Asian ally "in order to further deploy strategic forces and assets in the region in a timely and effective manner."

Washington promised South Korea to "increase deterrence against North Korean aggression and more broadly counter the threat" from Pyongyang.

As a “clear demonstration” of US commitment to such commitments, officials agreed to consider a joint exercise involving fifth-generation F-35A fighters in July 2022 and the upcoming deployment of the strike force of the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan off the coast of South Korea.

On behalf of the United States, Undersecretary of Defense for Political Affairs Colin Kahl and Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs Bonnie Jenkins signed the statement, while on behalf of South Korea, Deputy Minister of National Defense Shin Beom Chul and First Deputy Foreign Minister Cho Hyun Dong.

In an interview with RT, Konstantin Asmolov, a researcher at the Center for Korean Studies at the Institute of the Far East of the Russian Academy of Sciences, called the US-South Korean statement "a continuation of Washington's long-standing political line."

“This is rather a demonstrative statement to the public, because there are enough agreements between the United States and South Korea, starting with a mutual defense treaty,” the expert said.

  • Joint US-South Korean Combat Aviation Exercises

  • AP

  • © South Korea Defense Ministry

Recall that the mutual defense treaty was signed in 1953.

According to him, Washington pledged to provide military assistance to South Korea.

In addition, in 1978, both sides created the command of the combined forces.

At present, the number of the American contingent in the republic is 28.5 thousand. The US Armed Forces group has 90 combat aircraft, 40 attack helicopters and about 60 Patriot anti-aircraft systems.

"Remedy"

The US-South Korean statement was a response to the adoption by the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK of the law "On the policy of the DPRK regarding nuclear armed forces," as well as other actions of Pyongyang, political analysts say.

Recall that this document was approved last week.

He secured the status of a nuclear power for North Korea and legitimized its right to the comprehensive development of nuclear forces, which play a key role in protecting the DPRK from external threats.

“The nuclear armed forces of the DPRK are a powerful means of protecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity and fundamental interests of the state, preventing war on the Korean Peninsula and in the Northeast Asian region, and ensuring global strategic stability,” the law says.

This initiative approved the preventive concept of the use of the atomic arsenal.

Pyongyang can use nuclear forces in response to various forms of attack on the country or when there is a real danger of aggression using atomic weapons.

Moreover, in the event of a threat to the command of the nuclear forces of the DPRK, strikes against hostile forces will be delivered "automatically and immediately."

The troops of the aggressor, the "source of provocation" and the enemy command post are subject to nuclear destruction.

The decision to use nuclear weapons is taken only by the head of the republic.

Commenting on the new law, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said that the comprehensive development of nuclear forces is designed to protect his country from attacks by Washington.

“Whatever the US-created political and military situation on the Korean Peninsula, we will not be able to give up nuclear weapons, because it is necessary to deter the US nuclear state,”

said the head of North Korea.

At the same time, Washington claims that it does not harbor aggressive plans against Pyongyang.

This was announced on September 9 by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

At the same time, the United States is committed to the policy of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, which implies the nuclear disarmament of the DPRK.

  • Test launch of North Korea's new ICBM

  • AFP

  • © KCNA VIA KNS

Currently, North Korea continues to test short and medium-range missiles, as well as intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

North Korea may have enough nuclear fuel to build 45 to 55 atomic weapons, according to a September report by US nuclear scientists, but the reality is that the republic likely has 20 to 30 warheads ready.

According to other data, which were also published by American experts, as of 2021, North Korea's arsenal could have ranged from 67 to 116 nuclear weapons.

By 2027, Pyongyang has the opportunity to almost double its nuclear arsenal, according to the United States.

United States atomic scientists also drew attention to the presence of hypersonic weapons in the DPRK.

At the same time, they are not inclined to overestimate the potential of North Korea's nuclear forces.

For example, according to them, Pyongyang still has not created a combat-ready warhead for ICBMs.

In a RT commentary, Vladimir Batyuk, head of the Center for Military-Political Studies of the Institute for the US and Canadian Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, stressed that Washington, in principle, does not want to put up with the emergence of a new nuclear power in the strategically important space of the Asia-Pacific Region (APR).

“The United States is categorically opposed to Pyongyang having at least some kind of nuclear weapon, but at the same time, the Americans are not ready to give the DPRK any security guarantees and lift the tough sanctions regime,” Batyuk stated.

Without compromise

Experts interviewed by RT believe that in the short term, tensions between the United States and North Korea will continue to intensify, finally burying attempts to defuse the situation undertaken in 2018-2019 under Donald Trump.

According to Vladimir Batyuk, by adopting the law on nuclear forces, Pyongyang made it clear that it was refusing the agreements with the United States that were concluded at that time.

“The deal was a moratorium on ICBM launches and nuclear tests in exchange for the withdrawal of the US and South Korean armed forces from large-scale exercises.

The maneuvers were resumed last year.

Pyongyang has not received any explanation and quite logically perceives these exercises as a threat, ”Batiuk emphasized.

  • The historic meeting between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump in Singapore in June 2018

  • AP

  • © Evan Vucci

According to him, Washington is consistently building up military and political pressure on the DPRK, refusing to make concessions, and in response, Pyongyang is making every effort to strengthen its nuclear missile shield.

“Pyongyang is well aware that the only chance to preserve its sovereignty lies in the further strengthening of nuclear forces, in the creation of new missiles and warheads,” Batyuk said.

According to the analyst, if the United States continues to conduct major exercises with South Korean troops and demonstrate nuclear capabilities in the region, then Washington and Pyongyang may be on the verge of an armed conflict.

Batyuk places the main responsibility for the degradation of relations with the DPRK on the Biden administration.

“Operating in the Republican paradigm, Trump tried to negotiate when it was impossible to push.

Biden is a liberal globalist who seeks to reshape the world in line with American values.

For him, a new deal with Kim Jong-un is impossible for ideological reasons,” Batyuk added.

According to Konstantin Asmolov, in order to resume constructive negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang, the Republicans should return to the White House.

“At least in America, power must change.

True, now much will depend on the state of US-Chinese relations.

North Korea is an ally of Beijing and will not act against its interests.

It will be even more difficult for the new American leader to get along with Pyongyang, ”Asmolov said.

He predicts that relations between the US and North Korea will worsen.

However, the political scientist doubts that Washington will take aggressive steps that could provoke Pyongyang to use nuclear weapons.

“The military potentials of North Korea and the United States with their allies are incomparable.

But Washington is aware of North Korea's determination to defend itself.

For the Americans, any nuclear strike is unacceptable.

It is unlikely that they will bring the situation to this point, ”Asmolov summed up.