[ Anchor



Lead] The defense ministers of South Korea and the United States have agreed to substantially strengthen the United States' extended deterrence policy in response to the North Korean nuclear threat.

Regarding the use of US military power to deter North Korean nuclear weapons, we have also decided to participate in the decision from the initial planning stage to execution.



Reporter Hong Young-jae on the sidewalk.



<Reporter>



The conclusion of the defense ministers' meeting today (31st) is that the US will strengthen its extended deterrence policy in response to the escalating North Korean nuclear threat.



It means that we will expand our participation at each stage of extended deterrence, which is to prevent North Korea from developing and using nuclear weapons by mobilizing US military power, including conventional weapons as well as nuclear weapons.



[Lee Jong-seop/Minister of Defense: It can be seen as a result of the US side's willingness to actively consider our position from the planning stage (of extended deterrence).



] Response plans were planned together, and a specific roadmap was presented in which South Korea and the United States would carry out actual operations through consultations if North Korea were to use nuclear weapons.



Before the ROK-US annual security meeting in the second half of this year, the two countries decided to revise their customized deterrence strategies in preparation for North Korean nuclear development and preemptive strikes.



Next month, we plan to conduct extended deterrence operation exercises and expand the scale of ROK-US joint training.



The deployment of US strategic assets, called the tip of the spear of extended deterrence, is also increasing on the Korean Peninsula.



[Lloyd Austin/US Secretary of Defense: (In the past) 5th generation fighters F-22 and F-35 as well as carrier strike groups were deployed on the Korean Peninsula, but there will be more operations like this in the future.]



Secretary Austin said extended deterrence is firm However, there is also an analysis that it is a remark to appease public opinion on self-nuclear armament, which has recently been increasing in Korea.



(Video coverage: Hwang In-seok, Video editing: Park Ji-in, CG: Jo Soo-in)