Next week, during a summit with South Korean leader Yoon Suk Yeol, United States President Joe Biden plans to pledge “substantial” measures to demonstrate his country’s commitment to deterring a North Korean nuclear attack on South Korea.
Ahead of the summit, a senior US official informed Reuters that they are working intensely with South Korea to reinforce the perception and reality of their commitments.
The official claimed that one of the US’s significant accomplishments is that several Indo-Pacific countries that could have developed nuclear weapons opted not to due to the US’s nuclear umbrella protection.
The US has stated their commitment to this nuclear deterrent, which is unyielding for South Korea. Joe Biden will take substantial steps to underline this commitment, update it and clarify that their dedication to standing with South Korea remains unwavering.
The official stated that this commitment would stand, even in the face of provocations from North Korea, saber-rattling from Russia, and China’s nuclear buildup ambitions.
Yoon’s week-long state visit begins on Monday, which comes at a time when more South Koreans believe their country should create their nuclear arsenal to protect against a possible attack from North Korea, who has an increasing stockpile of missiles and bombs.
Asian Institute Survey
The Asian Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul conducted a survey on Apr 6 which showed that 64.3% of South Koreans supported the development of nuclear weapons, while 33.3% opposed it.
The poll showed that 52.9% of South Koreans were confident that the US would use nuclear weapons to defend them if North Korea launched a nuclear attack. However, only 43.1% of respondents believed that the US would risk its safety to protect South Korea, with 54.2% stating that the US would not take such risks.
The US plans to take various steps to demonstrate its commitment, including specific computations, actual activities, and high-level engagements between the United States and South Korea.
The moves would reinforce the perception and reality of their commitments. The US welcomes the role South Korea played in supporting Ukraine and would be pleased if South Korea took additional steps to assist Ukraine. However, the US acknowledges that every country must make decisions based on their own calculations.
The first official said that the summit, only the second state visit under the Biden administration, highlights the US president’s recognition of Yoon’s strong leadership and rapprochement with Japan, the other critical US ally in Northeast Asia.
The official also stated that Biden would discuss the significant South Korean tech investment in the US, which was approaching $100 million since he took office
In an interview with Reuters on Tuesday, Yoon hinted at a possible softening of his position on providing weapons to Ukraine, stating that his government might not “insist only on humanitarian or financial support” in the event of a large-scale attack on civilians or a “situation the international community cannot condone.”