SEOUL听–听厂辞耻迟丑听碍辞谤别补听and the United States are discussing possible joint planning and听别虫别谤肠颈蝉别蝉听using听鲍.厂.听苍耻肠濒别补谤听补蝉蝉别迟蝉听in the face of North听碍辞谤别补‘s growing听苍耻肠濒别补谤听and missile threats,聽厂辞耻迟丑听Korean President听驰辞辞苍听Suk-yeol said in a newspaper interview.
The Chosun Ilbo newspaper quoted听驰辞辞苍听as saying the joint planning and听别虫别谤肠颈蝉别蝉听would be aimed at a more effective implementation of the US聽“extended deterrence.”
The term means the ability of the US聽military, particularly its听苍耻肠濒别补谤听forces, to deter attacks on US听补濒濒颈别蝉.
“The听苍耻肠濒别补谤听weapons belong to the United States, but planning, information sharing,听别虫别谤肠颈蝉别蝉听and training should be jointly聽conducted by聽厂辞耻迟丑听碍辞谤别补听and the United States,”听驰辞辞苍听said, adding Washington is also “quite positive” about the idea.
Yoon‘s remarks come a day after North听碍辞谤别补n state media聽reported聽that its leader Kim Jong Un called for developing new intercontinental ballistic missiles聽(ICBMs)聽and an聽“exponential increase” of the country’s听苍耻肠濒别补谤听arsenal to counter US-led threats amid flaring tension between the rival听碍辞谤别补s.
The North’s race to advance its听苍耻肠濒别补谤听and missile programs has renewed debate over聽厂辞耻迟丑听Korea‘s own听苍耻肠濒别补谤听armaments, but听驰辞辞苍听said maintaining the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of听狈耻肠濒别补谤听Weapons remained important.
At a meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party last week,聽Kim said聽厂辞耻迟丑听碍辞谤别补听has now become the North’s “undoubted enemy” and rolled out new military goals, hinting at another year of intensive weapons tests and tension.
Inter-Korean ties have long been testy but have been even more frayed since听驰辞辞苍听took office in May.
On Sunday, North聽碍辞谤别补听fired a short-range ballistic missile off its east coast, in a rare late-night, New Year’s Day weapons test, following three ballistic missiles launched on Saturday, capping a year marked by a record number of missile tests.
Yoon‘s comments on the听苍耻肠濒别补谤听别虫别谤肠颈蝉别蝉听are the latest demonstration of his tough stance on North听碍辞谤别补. He urged the military to prepare for a war with “overwhelming” capability following聽聽crossing into the聽厂辞耻迟丑听last week.
Analysts say the tensions could worsen.
“This year could be a year of crisis with military tension on the听碍辞谤别补n peninsula going beyond what it was like in 2017,” said Hong Min, a senior researcher at the聽碍辞谤别补听Institute for National Unification, referring to the days of the “fire and fury” under the Trump administration.
“North听碍辞谤别补‘s hardline stance…and aggressive weapons development when met with聽厂辞耻迟丑听Korea–US听箩辞颈苍迟听别虫别谤肠颈蝉别蝉听and proportional response could raise the tension in a flash, and we cannot rule out what’s similar to a regional conflict when the two sides have a misunderstanding of the situation,” Hong said. – Reuters
