S. Korea, US to conduct joint drills to respond to N. Korean nuclear attack

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a New Year policy briefing by foreign and defense ministries at Yeongbingwan guesthouse in Jongno District, Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of presidential office

By Nam Hyun-woo

South Korea and the U.S. will conduct a joint military drill next month to deal with a possible North Korean nuclear attack. The exercise is part of the two countries' efforts to carry out extended deterrence.

The defense ministry announced the exercise during a policy briefing to President Yoon Suk Yeol, Wednesday, pledging to focus on building an "overwhelming response capability" to deter the North's provocations.

The joint exercise, which will be led by the two countries' Deterrence Strategy Committee, will be a tabletop exercise (TTX) assuming North Korea's use of nuclear weapons, according to the ministry.

The TTX has not been held since September 2021, but Seoul and Washington agreed to hold it annually at a bilateral defense ministerial meeting in November last year, in response to the North's increasing threats.

So far, the allies' TTX was mostly based on discussions on deterrence against North Korean provocations and crisis management, but a defense ministry official said this year's exercise will be "more aggressive."

"By expanding the scope of the exercise, we seek to upgrade intelligence sharing, consultation process, joint planning and joint execution, which are the four main segments of the extended deterrence," the ministry official said.

According to Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-sup, Yoon said during a briefing, "Peace that relies on the other side's good intentions cannot be sustained, and that cannot be called genuine peace."

Yoon was quoted as saying, "In order to deter North Korea's threats more practically and effectively, we should strengthen cooperation with the U.S. in each segment of the extended deterrence, and strengthen Seoul's three-axis defense system."

Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin, right, speaks during a New Year policy briefing to President Yoon Suk Yeol by the foreign and defense ministries at Government Complex in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, Wednesday. On the left is Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-sup. Yonhap

This is in line with Yoon's recent comments where he said Seoul and Washington are discussing "joint planning and joint execution" for the practical implementation of U.S. extended deterrence to counter the North's nuclear threats.

The military will also hold an 11-day South Korea-U.S. exercise, called Freedom Shield, in the spring, immediately followed by the final test of a homegrown solid-propellant space rocket and the launch of the country's first military surveillance satellite.

During the briefing, the defense minister told Yoon that the military will focus on building an "overwhelming response capability" to counter North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, as well as pledging to help South Korea become one of the world's top four arms exporters.

The three axes refer to the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation operational plan to incapacitate the North Korean leadership in a major conflict, the Kill Chain preemptive strike platform and the Korea Air and Missile Defense system.

South Korean soldiers hang the country's national flag on a K21 infantry fighting vehicle during the Ulchi Freedom Shield joint exercise between South Korea and the U.S. in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, Aug. 22. Newsis

Along with the defense ministry, the foreign ministry also delivered a New Year policy briefing to Yoon on Wednesday.

Foreign Minister Park Jin told reporters that the president said Seoul should "firmly respond to the North Korean provocations based on precise analyses of North Korea's military, politics, economy and civic circumstances."

The foreign ministry proposed three main tasks for this year: putting South Korea's Indo-Pacific strategy into practice, approaching North Korea with a firm principle and making economy-centric diplomatic efforts.

Among them, the foreign ministry stressed the significance and the execution of the Indo-Pacific strategy and pledged to strengthen cooperation with the international community to pursue North Korea's complete denuclearization.

Announced last month, South Korea's Indo-Pacific strategy is centered on bolstering the South's role in the international community's efforts to address various regional issues. It is largely seen favoring U.S.-led groupings in terms of the rivalry between Washington and Beijing, but at the same time considers the importance of engaging China.

This is a big shift from the diplomacy of Yoon's predecessor, Moon Jae-in, who had maintained a stance of strategic ambivalence on conflicting international issues. This resulted in the international community recognizing Seoul as an economic partner, but not necessarily as a key strategic player on the international stage.

Along with the Indo-Pacific strategy, the ministry proposed the concept of "active diplomacy" to overcome global geopolitical competitions, pandemics, supply chain disruptions and other crises. The ministry noted that it will "improve ties with member countries of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue _ the U.S. Australia, India and Japan _ and actively seek national interests through the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework."

Regarding the North Korea approach based on principles, the foreign ministry said Pyongyang's escalating nuclear and missile threats "clearly show" that a North Korea policy which relies on the regime's good will has failed, and unilateral appeasement policies threaten Seoul's national security.