S. Korea defends extended deterrence cooperation with US, urges China's constructive role

Officials of South Korea and the United States hold their sixth Nuclear Consultative Group meeting in Seoul, June 11 in this file photo provided by South Korea's defense ministry. Yonhap

The foreign ministry on Tuesday countered criticism from China over South Korea's extended deterrence cooperation with the United States and expressed hope that Beijing would play a constructive role in advancing the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and regional peace.

The response came after China's foreign ministry recently voiced concerns over extended deterrence cooperation between Seoul and Washington, as well as between the U.S. and Japan, and called on Seoul to act prudently.

"At a time when North Korea's illegal nuclear and missile programs continue to advance, maintaining a robust deterrence posture through extended deterrence cooperation between South Korea and the U.S. is a legitimate response aimed at protecting the lives and safety of our people, as well as a fundamental responsibility of any responsible government," foreign ministry spokesperson Park Il said at a press briefing.

Park stressed that such cooperation is fully consistent with the objectives and obligations of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, adding that South Korea continues to reaffirm its commitment to the international nonproliferation regime.

"As a responsible country, we hope China will play a more prudent and constructive role toward the shared goal of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and peace and stability in the region, based on a deep understanding of international norms and the regional security environment," Park added.

Earlier this month, Seoul and Washington held a Nuclear Consultative Group meeting in Seoul and agreed to continue advancing the group's activities in order to strengthen the alliance and extended deterrence under the shared goal of denuclearizing North Korea, according to South Korea's defense ministry.

Separately, the U.S. and Japan held their Extended Deterrence Dialogue in Tokyo earlier this month. In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the North and rejected Russia's assertion that Pyongyang's pursuit of nuclear weapons is a "closed" issue.

Speculation has grown over Beijing's stance on North Korea's nuclear program after the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was not publicly mentioned during a summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this month.