US Vows to Defend South Korea With Nuclear Capability Amid North Korean Threats

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (R) shakes hands with the South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin (L) at the conclusion of an event at the State Department on Feb. 3, 2023 in Washington. Blinken canceled a planned diplomatic trip to China as a result of an incident involving a Chinese surveillance ballon identified in U.S. airspace. Win McNamee/Getty Images

The United States remains committed to using the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear weapons, to defend South Korea from North Korean aggression, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Feb. 3.

Speaking alongside South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin at a press conference, Blinken reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to improving its allied defense against common threats and the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

He referred to the U.S.–South Korea alliance as “the linchpin” of peace in the region and said that it seeks to boost trilateral security cooperation with Japan to deter North Korea’s missile provocations.

“We are committed to defending the Republic of Korea using the full range of our capabilities—nuclear, conventional, missile defense capabilities,” Blinken told reporters in Washington.

“So there should be no doubt in anyone’s mind, starting with Pyongyang, of our commitment to defend our allies, our partners, our friends, and to extended deterrence,” he said. Pyongyang is the capital city of North Korea.

The two allies agreed to bolster extended deterrence while “maintaining a robust combined defense posture,” Park said, adding that any provocations from North Korea will be met with “a firm and united response.”

“Peace without denuclearization is fake peace. North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs are a direct and serious threat to not only [South] Korea, but also international peace and security,” he said.

They pledged to strengthen efforts to “close loopholes” in U.N. Security Council resolutions on North Korea and cut off the regime’s “unlawful revenue streams” by countering North Korea’s illicit cyber activities.

China’s Role

Park also called on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), a major ally of North Korea, to use its influence to rein in Pyongyang’s missile launches.

“We agreed that China has a distinct capability and responsibility to influence Pyongyang’s behavior. Denuclearization of North Korea has long been an area of cooperation for China as well as ROK and the United States, and it needs to stay that way,” he said.

President Joe Biden had previously urged the CCP to restrain North Korea from carrying out nuclear tests, and said that failure to do so would result in the United States taking “certain actions that would be more defensive” in response.

Blinken’s meeting with Park occurred just days after the defense chiefs of both countries agreed to expand their joint military exercises. There are about 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea, making it one of the largest U.S. troop deployments around the world.

North Korea fired an unprecedented number of missiles in 2022, one of which reportedly flew over Japan and triggered warnings to citizens in the Hokkaido and Aomori prefectures to take shelter.

In September 2022, North Korea approved a law allowing it to conduct a nuclear strike “automatically” against any “hostile forces” posing an imminent threat.

China Trip Postponed

Blinken said at the press conference that he was delaying a trip to China that was supposed to begin on Feb. 3, after a suspected Chinese spy balloon was spotted flying across the United States, which is a clear violation of U.S. sovereignty. The balloon was shot down on Feb. 4 by U.S. military aircraft.

“We concluded that conditions were not conducive for a constructive visit at this time,” he said.

Blinken said he had told senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi that the incident on the eve of his trip was an “irresponsible act” by China but that Washington remains committed to engagement and he would visit when conditions allowed.

China’s foreign ministry said on Feb. 4 that the flight of the “airship” over the United States was a force majeure accident, accusing U.S. politicians and media of taking advantage of the situation to discredit China.

Reuters contributed to this report.