US and South Korea Delay Critical Nuclear Deterrence Discussions: Pentagon Official

Washington, December 4 (NationPress) South Korea and the US have chosen to postpone critical nuclear deterrence discussions, along with a related exercise that was scheduled to be held in Washington this week, as confirmed by a Pentagon official. This decision comes in the wake of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief declaration of emergency martial law.

The two nations had intended to conduct the fourth session of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) in the US capital on Wednesday, aiming to bolster their deterrence strategies amid North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threats, as reported by the Yonhap news agency.

On Tuesday, in response to an inquiry from Yonhap, a spokesperson from the Department of Defense stated, 'The NCG meeting and NCG-Top Exercise are postponed until further notice. We do not have details regarding rescheduling.'

According to Seoul's Defence Ministry, Cho Chang-rae, South Korea's deputy defense minister for policy, and Cara Abercrombie, the US acting deputy undersecretary of defense for policy, were set to spearhead the tabletop exercise this week.

The NCG was established last year as an integral part of the Washington Declaration, which Yoon and US President Joe Biden announced during their summit at the White House in April. This initiative aims to enhance the credibility of America’s extended deterrence commitment, utilizing the full spectrum of its military capabilities, including nuclear arms, to safeguard its ally.