<Anchor> The



defense ministers of the Republic of Korea and the United States met in the United States.

He agreed to deploy U.S. strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula at the level of regular deployment in the face of continued provocations from North Korea, and warned strongly that if North Korea uses nuclear weapons, the regime will come to an end.



This is Washington correspondent Yunsu Kim.



<Reporter>



The South Korea-U.S. Security Council, held amid a series of North Korean provocations, focused on ways to strengthen deterrence against North Korea.



South Korean and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Lee Jong-seop agreed to first deploy US strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula in a timely manner as needed.



The plan is to significantly expand the frequency and intensity of deployment of US strategic assets to the level of regular deployment.



To this end, it was decided to make regular annual extended deterrence exercises assuming North Korea's nuclear use scenario, and to resume large-scale combined outdoor maneuver exercises in conjunction with the combined exercises next year.



They also agreed to establish a South Korea-U.S. missile response policy consultative body to respond to North Korean missile threats and to revise deterrence strategies tailored to North Korea.



In a joint statement, the two ministers strongly warned that if North Korea uses nuclear weapons, the regime will come to an end.



[Lee Jong-seop/Secretary of Defense: I have confirmed that if North Korea uses nuclear weapons, the Kim Jong-un regime will come to an end by the overwhelming and decisive response of the alliance.]



In particular, US Defense Secretary Austin resolutely insisted that no one could attack South Korea. The will has been reiterated.



[Lloyd Austin/Secretary of Defense: We are focused on making sure that no one can attack South Korea.

Our security promise is ironclad, and we are committed to deterring anyone from using nuclear weapons.]



The United Nations Security Council members in the United States and Europe have called for a Security Council public meeting to discuss the issue of North Korea's recent provocations.



(Video coverage: Park Eun-ha, video editing: Park Sun-soo)