Yoon's delegation discusses extended deterrence, summit with US

Rep. Park Jin, right, of the main opposition People Power Party, who heads the ROK-U.S. Policy Consultation Delegation sent by President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, poses with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan during their meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., Tuesday (local time). Courtesy of ROK-U.S. Policy Consultation Delegation

Deployment of strategic assets unlikely: experts

By Kang Seung-woo

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's U.S. delegation held discussions with the U.S. side, Tuesday (local time), about the permanent presence of U.S. strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula amid mounting threats from North Korea.

In addition, the two sides also talked about holding a summit between Yoon and U.S. President Joe Biden at an early date.

The ROK-U.S. Policy Consultation Delegation, led by Rep. Park Jin of the main opposition People Power Party, visited the White House and met with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan for some 40 minutes. The ROK refers to the Republic of Korea, South Korea's official name.

"The deployment of strategic assets is an important part of building up extended deterrence against North Korea's provocations and in that sense, the issue was included in the consultation," Park told reporters following the meeting with Sullivan, but did not elaborate further.

The term, "strategic assets," refers to long range bombers, nuclear-powered submarines or aircraft carriers. "Extended deterrence" refers to the commitment to use nuclear weapons to deter attacks on allies. The U.S. has provided extended deterrence or a nuclear umbrella to South Korea since removing all of its nuclear assets from the South in 1991.

So far this year, the Kim Jong-un regime has conducted multiple missile tests, including the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile ― Washington's unofficial "red line" against North Korea's saber-rattling ― so there have been calls from some for the Biden administration to show strong determination to deter North Korea's military provocations.

In addition, the president-elect has pledged to enhance South Korea's deterrence against Pyongyang's nuclear and missile threats.

At a policy briefing to Yoon's transition committee last month, the Ministry of National Defense said it will seek to reactivate regular meetings of the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG), a high-level consultative mechanism to achieve North Korean denuclearization through steadfast deterrence, which last met in January 2018. According to Park, the seven-member delegation held a meeting with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, Monday, during which they agreed to revive the EDSCG.

However, Park said that they did not discuss with Sullivan the deployment of another battery of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), a pledge Yoon made during his election campaign.

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Park also delivered a personal letter from Yoon to Biden that highlights the need to upgrade the South Korea-U.S. alliance further in order to tackle the North Korean nuclear issue while also enhancing the level of cooperation between the two countries on a range of regional and global issues including climate change and supply chain resiliency.

The delegation and Sullivan also exchanged views on the need to arrange a Yoon-Biden summit at an early date since their leaders remain determined to strengthen the alliance. Yoon is scheduled to take office on May 10.

"We concurred that a summit should feature substantial and important issues related to strengthening the alliance," Park said, adding that there was no discussion of a specific timetable.

Rep. Park Jin answers reporters' questions after a meeting with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan at the White House in Washington, D.C., Tuesday (local time). Joint Press Corps

In Seoul, Yoon's spokesperson, Bae Hyun-jin, said the president-elect hopes for an early summit with Biden, although there is currently no plan for him to visit the U.S.

On March 10, just hours after Yoon's election, Yoon and Biden held a phone conversation, which was widely seen as a signal for the incoming South Korean administration to put more focus on strengthening the longtime security alliance, which the president-elect believes has been damaged over the past five years under the Moon Jae-in administration, who balanced improving inter-Korean ties along with the country's alliance with the U.S.

Diplomatic observers believe the delegation's visit to the U.S. has provided a positive signal to bolstering the alliance.

"The trip carries significance as the delegates met with key senior officials of the Biden administration who deal with issues pertaining to the Korean Peninsula and the Indo-Pacific region: Jake Sullivan, Wendy Sherman and Kurt Campbell," said Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Womans University. Campbell is the White House policy coordinator for Asia.

"In addition, the U.S. should be happy about the delegation since the new South Korean administration hinted at its commitment to Washington amid U.S.-China competition," he added.

The delegation delivered the new South Korean government's determination to cooperate on the U.S.-led Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) during the meeting with Campbell, while agreeing with Sherman on the need to upgrade the bilateral alliance into a comprehensive and strategic one, both of which have to do with the U.S.' move to contain China, according to the professor.

However, it remains to be seen if the U.S. will accept South Korea's call for the deployment of its strategic assets here, he said.

"The issue has been discussed between the two countries for a long time without any progress being made, as it would be a daunting task for the U.S., due to possible backlash from China as well as North Korea," he said.

"In addition, for the U.S.' part, it has been shifting its military policy against the rotational deployment of its strategic assets, as evidenced by the Dynamic Force Employment (DFE) concept, because predictable deployment is prone to enemies' attacks. In that respect, it will not be easy for the new administration to persuade the U.S. side regarding this issue."

According to the U.S. Pacific Command, DFE refers to the U.S. military operating with a smaller footprint, on a shorter timeframe, and being strategically predictable but operationally unpredictable.