Biden and Yoon announce the establishment of a new Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) to counter threats from Pyongyang
26 (EUROPA PRESS)
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, received his South Korean counterpart, Yoon Suk Yeol, with honors in Washington this Wednesday in the framework of the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice, signed in 1953.
“This year marks the 70th anniversary of the alliance between our two nations. They are unbreakable ties, forged thanks to the courage and sacrifice of our people,” Biden said at a ceremony with dozens of Korean War veterans.
Biden, who visited the Korean War Veterans Memorial the day before with his South Korean counterpart, also took the opportunity to recall “Russia’s brutal aggression against Ukraine”, as well as his intention to promote “an Indo-Pacific region free and open.”
For his part, the South Korean president stressed that the alliance between Seoul and Washington “is a global alliance for freedom, peace and prosperity around the world.” “It is an alliance that moves into the future,” he added.
After the welcome ceremony, Biden accompanied Yoon to the Oval Office, where both exchanged a brief discussion –before a private meeting– in which they highlighted mutual challenges, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine or the situation in Pyongyang.
WASHINGTON DECLARATION
Subsequently, they have signed an agreement, under the name of the Washington Declaration, in which the United States agrees to do “everything possible” to consult South Korea about any “possible use of nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula.”
That commitment includes “a deeper and more cooperative decision-making process” as well as “increased dialogue and information sharing on the growing nuclear threats” against Seoul and the region, referring to Pyongyang.
“The two presidents announced the establishment of a new Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) to strengthen extended deterrence, discuss nuclear and strategic planning, and manage the threat to the non-proliferation regime posed by North Korea,” they said in a statement. set.
The objective of the agreement between the parties – which also contemplates improving combined military exercises, nuclear deterrence training activities and a new military test carried out jointly with the US Strategic Command – is to “develop a relationship of mutual defense increasingly strong” as well as a commitment to “peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific”.
“Biden reaffirmed that the United States’ commitment to the Republic of Korea and the South Korean people is long-standing and unwavering, and that any nuclear attack by North Korea will have a rapid, overwhelming and decisive response,” he concluded.
