By Kang Seung-woo
VIENTIANE, Laos — U.S. President Barack Obama has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to “extended deterrence” for South Korea against North Korea’s evolving nuclear threats.
The pledge was included in a press statement following Obama’s summit with President Park Geun-hye in Laos, Tuesday.
This is the first time that a U.S. president has pledged to provide a nuclear umbrella for South Korea, according to Cheong Wa Dae officials.
Analysts say this means there will be no change in Washington’s security support for South Korea against North Korea’s threats despite Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s inward-looking rhetoric.
In addition, he intended to calm budding opinions in South Korea about arming itself with nuclear weapons and building a nuclear-powered attack submarine to counter Pyongyang’s evolving nuclear program, they said.
“I want to reaffirm that our commitment to the defense and security of South Korea, including extended deterrence is unwavering,” Obama said in the press statement.
Extended deterrence refers to the U.S.’s stated commitment to defend its ally by mobilizing all military capabilities, nuclear and conventional, to cope with North Korea’s aggression and provocations.
Although the United States regularly provides reassurances of the U.S. defense commitment to South Korea, including extended nuclear deterrence, this was the first time for a U.S. president to give a public declaration of the guarantee.
“While Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s rhetoric has unnerved U.S. allies, including South Korea and Japan, President Obama’s reference was intended to guarantee that the United States will not change its foreign policy toward its partners in the region,” said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong Global University.
Trump has indicated a willingness to withdraw U.S. troops from the Korean Peninsula if Seoul does not pay its “fair share” for its defense.
Before the two nations arranged the summit in August, the White House predicted Obama would express his strong support for South Korea’s security to Park.
“If there’s an opportunity, I’m confident that the President will use it to express the U.S.’s strong support for the safety and security of our allies in the Republic of Korea,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest said at the time.
Obama’s first declaration also took a shot at the Kim Jong-un regime, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
“Amid growing tensions on the peninsula, his reference reflected the seriousness of the current situation,” said an official.
Pyongyang has staged multiple provocations since the beginning of the year with a nuclear test and a series of ballistic missile launches, threatening the security of the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia. The North launched three ballistic missiles, Monday.
Amid the escalating inter-Korean tensions, there are calls for South Korea to possess its own nuclear weapons. In addition, the North’s significant progress in the development of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is drawing calls for the development of a nuclear-powered attack submarine.
Park Won-gon said that Obama may have considered the situation in the statement.
“For the United States, the two issues are not acceptable although it understands South Korea’s concerns over the North’s threats,” he said.
“So, President Obama signaled that as the United States will provide extended deterrence guarantee, South Korea does not need to consider such things.”