President Yoon Suk Yeol on July 11 shakes hands with U.S. President Joe Biden at their bilateral talks on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington. (Yonhap News)

By Park Hye Ri

President Yoon Suk Yeol, on a visit to Washington to attend the NATO Summit, and U.S. President Joe Biden on July 11 released a joint statement the U.S.-ROK (Republic of Korea) Guidelines for Nuclear Deterrence and Nuclear Operations on the Korean Peninsula.

At their bilateral summit held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, both leaders signed the statement on approving the completion of the guidelines document in one year by the U.S.-ROK Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG), which was launched under the Washington Declaration adopted in April last year.

The statement said, "The progress made since the establishment of the U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK) NCG demonstrates the truly global, comprehensive, strategic alliance between the two countries, the ever-stronger mutual defense relationship, and our shared interest in peace, stability, and the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

"The Guidelines document provides a solid foundation for enhancing U.S.-ROK extended deterrence cooperation in an integrated manner," it added. "The Guidelines document provides guidance to Alliance policy and military authorities in maintaining and strengthening a credible and effective nuclear deterrence policy and posture."

Both sides agreed on the "need to continue to make swift progress on NCG workstreams, including security protocols and expansion of information sharing; nuclear consultation processes in crises and contingencies; nuclear and strategic planning; ROK conventional support to U.S. nuclear operations in a contingency through conventional-nuclear integration; strategic communications; exercises, simulations, training, and investment activities; and risk reduction practices."

The document also reaffirmed the two presidents' "commitments in the U.S.-ROK Washington Declaration and highlighted that any nuclear attack by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) against the ROK will be met with a swift, overwhelming and decisive response."

"President Biden reiterated that the U.S. commitment to extended deterrence to the ROK is backed by the full range of U.S. capabilities, including nuclear," it added. "President Yoon reiterated that the ROK's full range of capabilities will greatly contribute to the Alliance's combined defense posture."

hrhr@korea.kr