On June 10, the United States and South Korea opened the third session of the bilateral Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) in Seoul amid increasing tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Deputy Defense Minister-level meeting with the participation of security, defense and foreign policy officials of the two countries.
Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Seoul quoted the announcement of the Korean Ministry of Defense as saying that during this meeting, the two sides will review developments over the past year in many different areas, including intelligence information sharing and procedures. nuclear consultation during a crisis and the integration of conventional and nuclear capabilities.
After the first two NCG meetings chaired by the two countries’ National Security Councils, the US and South Korea decided that the third meeting would be organized by the defense agencies of both sides, the Korean Ministry of Defense and the Pentagon. . At the second NCG session in December 2023, the US and South Korea agreed to complete the establishment of guidelines for planning and operating a joint nuclear strategy by mid-2024.
NCG was established under the Washington Declaration that Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and US President Joe Biden approved during a summit in Washington, DC in April 2023 as part of efforts to enhance credibility. of extended deterrence. Extended deterrence refers to America’s commitment to using the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear weapons, to defend South Korea.