Seoul, South Korea. North Korea threatened Saturday to boost its nuclear combat capability and make the United States and South Korea pay “an unimaginably harsh price” as it attacked its rivals. new defense guidelines which claims to reveal an intention to invade the North.
On Thursday, US President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol authorized the signing of joint nuclear deterrence guidelines as part of efforts to improve their capabilities to counter North Korea’s growing nuclear arsenal. The guidelines were adopted a year after the two countries created a consultative body strengthen information sharing on nuclear operations and discuss how to integrate US nuclear weapons and South Korean conventional weapons into contingencies.
In a statement carried by state media, North Korea’s Defense Ministry said the guidelines between the United States and South Korea betrayed “their sinister intention to intensify their preparations for a nuclear war against” North Korea.
The statement said growing nuclear threats from its enemies urgently require North Korea to further improve its nuclear deterrence readiness and add unspecified “important elements to the deterrence composition.” He said the United States and South Korea “will pay an unimaginably harsh price” if they fail to stop provocative acts.
South Korea’s Defense Ministry on Sunday called North Korea’s statement “sophistic” and said the guidelines would not have been necessary if there had been no nuclear threats from North Korea. South Korea’s Defense Ministry warned in a statement that any attempt by North Korea to use nuclear weapons will provoke an overwhelming response from the South Korea-U.S. alliance and result in the end of the North Korean government. .
Details of the U.S.-South Korea guidelines were not available, but experts say they largely concern how the two countries would integrate U.S. nuclear weapons and South Korea’s conventional weapons to respond to various potential contingencies. caused by North Korea’s attacks and provocations. Experts say the United States and South Korea are expected to plan detailed operational concepts and plans based on the guidelines and review them through bilateral military exercises.
The guidelines are the first of their kind among allies. The United States has repeatedly vowed to use all of its military capabilities, including nuclear weapons, to protect South Korea if attacked by North Korea, but many South Korea experts believe the United States lacks plans for how it would implement its extended deterrence. towards his ally. . South Korea does not have nuclear weapons.
North Korea has argued that it was forced to pursue nuclear weapons to confront nuclear threats led by the United States. U.S. and South Korean officials have firmly said they have no intention of attacking North Korea.
Concerns about North Korea’s nuclear program have increased in recent years as the North made a series of provocative missile tests and openly threatened to use nuclear weapons preemptively in potential conflicts with its adversaries.
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