US-South Korea sign military strategy to deal with North Korea

The US and South Korean defense ministers said on October 2 that the two countries have signed a joint military strategy to better respond to the nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction threat from North Korea.

South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin and his US counterpart Chuck Hagel at a joint press conference. (Source: AFP)

According to a joint statement after the annual security consultation meeting between the two countries led by South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin and his U.S. counterpart Chuck Hagel, the two sides signed the "Corresponding Deterrence Strategy," which establishes a strategic framework within the alliance to take appropriate measures to deter nuclear threats from North Korea, while enhancing the alliance's capabilities to optimize deterrence against North Korea.

The strategy outlines responses to three scenarios involving North Korean nuclear threats, including the threat of nuclear use, imminent use of nuclear weapons, and use of nuclear weapons, through the mobilization of both diplomatic and military means.

In addition, at the consultation meeting, the two sides agreed to review the deadline for transferring wartime command over the US-ROK coalition on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korea handed over the wartime command of the allied forces to Washington during the 1950-53 Korean War. It was scheduled to take back the role in December 2015. However, the South Korean government has requested a delay amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

According to a joint statement after the consultation meeting, the two sides "decided to regularly assess and review the security situation on the Korean peninsula and continue consultations on this issue"./.

According to (TTXVN) - DT