Kim Hyun-bin began his journalism career at Arirang TV from 2012 to 2017, specializing in defense, foreign affairs and the economy. In 2018, he joined The Korea Times, covering society and business, and is currently responsible for embassy affairs.
US secretaries of state, defense to visit S. Korea amid N. Korean satellite launch preparations
North Korea's Chollima-1 rocket, carrying the regime's inaugural military reconnaissance satellite, takes off from a site in Dongchang-ri, North Pyongan Province, on May 31, in this photo released the following day by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. Yonhap
By Kim Hyun-bin
The U.S. secretaries of state and defense are scheduled to visit South Korea this week amid growing concerns about North Korea's preparations to launch a reconnaissance satellite with support from Russia.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to visit South Korea for two days from Wednesday following his participation in a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Tokyo that is slated from Tuesday to Thursday.
Simultaneously, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is expected to visit South Korea later this week, ahead of the 55th South Korea-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) slated for Nov. 13 and other events.
The visits by the high-ranking U.S. officials come at a crucial time, with Washington aiming to reinforce its commitment to the enduring development of the South Korea-U.S. alliance, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. In addition, the U.S. is expected to emphasize its commitment to strengthening "extended deterrence" against North Korea's missile launch provocations and threats of nuclear attacks.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers a keynote address while attending the Korea-U.S. Strategic Forum held by the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 25 (local time). Yonhap
Both South Korea and the U.S. have taken significant steps in this direction, as reflected in the Washington Declaration signed between President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden during their summit in April.
The declaration outlined measures to enhance extended deterrence, including the establishment and operation of the South Korea-U.S. Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) and the regular deployments of U.S. strategic assets, such as submarine ballistic nuclear (SSBN) missile designated vessels on the Korean Peninsula. Additionally, the three countries, including Japan, are in the process of setting up a real-time ballistic missile warning information-sharing system.
During the visits by Blinken and Austin, discussions are expected to focus on evaluating the progress of this cooperation and coordinating the future direction of military collaboration between South Korea and the U.S., as well as between South Korea, the U.S. and Japan.
South Korean military authorities are closely monitoring the possibility of North Korea's third attempt to launch a reconnaissance satellite, which could take place as early as this month.
North Korea made two attempts to launch reconnaissance satellites earlier this year, in May and August, but both attempts failed to place the satellites into orbit. Pyongyang immediately vowed to try for a third launch by the end of October, but has yet to initiate the launch.
International observations suggest that weapons trade between North Korea and Russia is growing amid persistent speculation that the two nations may have reached an arms deal during a rare summit between their respective leaders in September.