The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Song Joong-ki marries British woman, expects baby

  • 3

    K-pop releases for February

  • 5

    Koreans reluctant to unmask on first day of eased indoor mask rule

  • 7

    Stock-leveraged investments rise again amid bullish KOSPI

  • 9

    Itaewon music fest brings love to the healing process

  • 11

    SPC opens 120th Paris Baguette store in US

  • 13

    TWICE becomes first K-pop group to win Billboard Women in Music award

  • 15

    Busan seeks to take lead in expo race after BIE's April visit

  • 17

    Retailers seek to bolster beauty product sales as lifting of mask mandate approaches

  • 19

    Biohealth geared for growth

  • 2

    Korean Lunar New Year vs. Chinese Lunar New Year

  • 4

    Over 76% of South Koreans support development of nuclear weapons

  • 6

    Base taxi fare to rise by 1,000 won to 4,800 won next month

  • 8

    INTERVIEWProduction company AStory expects great success with 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' franchise

  • 10

    ANALYSISPandemic awakens demand for data-driven automation

  • 12

    Cute canine film 'My Heart Puppy' reunites Yoo Yeon-seok, Cha Tae-hyun

  • 14

    Hybe acquires 56.1 percent stake in AI sound startup Supertone

  • 16

    Most people masked up on 1st day of lifting of mandate rules

  • 18

    Korea ranks 31st in international corruption perception index in 2022

  • 20

    NK slams NATO chief's Seoul visit as 'prelude to war'

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Wed, February 1, 2023 | 17:20
Politics
ROK, US defense chiefs vow strong response to N. Korean provocations
한미 "사드 연내 배치"…매티스 "北공격에 압도적 대응"
Posted : 2017-02-03 18:08
Updated : 2017-02-08 18:27
Jun Ji-hye
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis and Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo salute during an honor guard in front of the defense ministry building in central Seoul, Friday, before having talks over the two countries' joint efforts to counter North Korea's nuclear threats. / Korea Times photo by Hong In-kee
U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis and Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo salute during an honor guard in front of the defense ministry building in central Seoul, Friday, before having talks over the two countries' joint efforts to counter North Korea's nuclear threats. / Korea Times photo by Hong In-kee

By Jun Ji-hye


Defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States reaffirmed Friday their determination to strengthen joint deterrence measures against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.

During their first-ever talks since the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, Defense Minister Han Min-koo and his U.S. counterpart James Mattis agreed to continue to improve the Seoul-Washington alliance with the latter vowing to continue providing South Korea with extended deterrence.

The talks took place at the Ministry of National Defense in central Seoul. Mattis visited Seoul for two days in his first overseas trip since taking office less than two weeks ago, and left for Japan Friday afternoon.

Extended deterrence refers to Washington's stated commitment to defend its ally by mobilizing all military capabilities ― nuclear and conventional ― to deal with the North's provocations.

Han and Mattis also reaffirmed the need to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here this year as planned despite protest from China and Russia.

"The two top defense officials jointly assessed North Korea's growing threats including its leader's claim that the country has entered the final stages for test-firing an intercontinental ballistic missile," the ministry said in a press release. "The two exchanged various opinions on the security situation in North Korea and on the possibility of future provocations."

Kim made such a claim during his New Year address, raising military tension here.

Sharing the need to respond to any North Korean provocations effectively and overwhelmingly, Han and Mattis agreed to continue to discuss whether Washington will regularly deploy strategic assets, such as nuclear-capable bombers, to South Korea as part of measures to enhance its extended deterrence.

Mattis's visit gives THAAD deployment momentum
2017-02-03 18:02  |  Defense

The issue has been discussed since it was brought up during the annual Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) in October between Minister Han and former U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter.

Mattis said in his introductory remarks that America's commitment to defending its allies and upholding its extended deterrence guarantees remain ironclad.

"Any attack on the United States, or our allies, will be defeated, and any use of nuclear weapons would be met with a response that would be effective and overwhelming," he said.

After the meeting, a high-ranking ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity, that the two also agreed to strengthen the allies' Key Resolve joint exercise scheduled for March to better deter North Korean threats.

"Considering the possibility of the North pushing ahead with provocations on the occasion of the Key Resolve drill, the two nations shared the need to carry out strengthened Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joint military exercises," he said.

On speculation that the U.S. bombers and nuclear-powered aircraft carriers could participate in the exercises, the official said, "No decision has been made yet."

The official also downplayed the speculation that the two sides might have discussed issues related to defense cost-sharing, saying, "The issue was not on the agenda."

The speculation has been raised as President Trump pledged during his campaign to have wealthy allies such as South Korea and Japan shoulder more of the cost of American troops stationed in their countries, saying the U.S. should be prepared to withdraw its forces troops unless the allies agree to pay more.

Mattis noted that that he chose South Korea as his first destination as the Seoul-Washington alliance is very significant amid growing North Korean threats. This was seen as an apparent effort to reassure key allies unsettled by Trump's accusation, though he has significantly toned down this rhetoric since his election and has talked increasingly about the importance of the alliance.

"This is my first overseas trip as secretary of defense," Mattis said. "I am here to underscore America's priority commitment to our bilateral alliance and to make clear the Trump administration's full commitment to the United Nations Mission in defense of your democracy."



Emailjjh@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
1Korean Lunar New Year vs. Chinese Lunar New Year Korean Lunar New Year vs. Chinese Lunar New Year
2US bill introduced to honor Korean War hero US bill introduced to honor Korean War hero
3South Korea, US to expand size and content of joint military drills South Korea, US to expand size and content of joint military drills
4Popular travel YouTuber recalls painful memories of being bullied at school Popular travel YouTuber recalls painful memories of being bullied at school
5Samsung refuses to cut chip output despite plunging profits Samsung refuses to cut chip output despite plunging profits
6Garbage collector mistakes sex doll for corpse Garbage collector mistakes sex doll for corpse
7Holy Moly concert series brings 4 punk bands to Haebangchon Holy Moly concert series brings 4 punk bands to Haebangchon
8IMF slashes Korea's 2023 economic growth outlook to 1.7% IMF slashes Korea's 2023 economic growth outlook to 1.7%
9Korean corporations' dividend payout system to follow global standards Korean corporations' dividend payout system to follow global standards
10Yoon urges private sector to use UAE's $30 bil. investment as stepping stone for 'Middle East boom' Yoon urges private sector to use UAE's $30 bil. investment as stepping stone for 'Middle East boom'
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Song Joong-ki marries British woman, expects baby Song Joong-ki marries British woman, expects baby
2K-pop releases for February K-pop releases for February
3[INTERVIEW] Production company AStory expects great success with 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' franchise INTERVIEWProduction company AStory expects great success with 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' franchise
4Itaewon music fest brings love to the healing process Itaewon music fest brings love to the healing process
5Cute canine film 'My Heart Puppy' reunites Yoo Yeon-seok, Cha Tae-hyun Cute canine film 'My Heart Puppy' reunites Yoo Yeon-seok, Cha Tae-hyun
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group