South Korea President Yoon Says Alliance With US Upgraded, Expanded

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said this week that the country’s alliance with the United States has been upgraded and expanded following the summit in Washington last week. This follows the “Washington Declaration” made during the summit, with the US assuring South Korea of protection under its nuclear umbrella.

On Tuesday, Yoon briefed his cabinet on his trip to the US, saying that South Korea has upgraded its alliance with Washington amidst growing concerns and doubts in the country due to North Korea’s ramped-up development of its nuclear and missile programs. This comes amidst calls in Seoul, even among senior members of Yoon’s party, for the country to develop its own nuclear arsenal. The US has opposed the idea and assured South Korea that it would be protected under its nuclear umbrella.

“The alliance has a nuclear-based upgrade and has expanded to include supply chain, industrial, and science and technology alliances,” said Yoon, adding that the nuclear planning measure would be more effective than the same type of planning done by the NATO alliance in overseeing more frequent, high-level, bilateral discussions.

During the summit, Yoon and US President Joe Biden announced the “Washington Declaration,” which included establishing a Nuclear Consultative Group that would provide South Korea with more insight and input into US contingency planning to deter and respond to any nuclear incident in the region.

Under the agreement, there would also be new partnerships in science and technology which include cybersecurity, electric vehicles and batteries, quantum technology, foreign assistance, and economic investment.

Yoon also said that more US strategic assets will be deployed to South Korea to maintain an “overwhelming retaliatory posture.”

North Korea has criticized the summit and the agreement, saying that the “Washington Declaration” only escalates tensions in the region on the verge of nuclear war. The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Kim Yo-jong, warned that Pyongyang would stage more displays of military force following the new agreement between Seoul and Washington.

In a report by North Korean state media KCNA on Saturday, Kim Yo-jong said the agreement between South Korea and the US would only worsen the situation and is an indication of “extreme” hostility toward North Korea. Kim Yo-jong added that this will only convince Pyongyang to further perfect its “nuclear war deterrent.”