South Korea and the United States are currently in the midst of a large military exercise that has focused on rehearsing nuclear strikes. The exercises come after tensions on the Korean Peninsula skyrocketed following North Korea’s latest missile test. The South Korean Defense Ministry released a statement on Wednesday saying that the country is discussing how to use nuclear weapons in case of an attack. The ministry also said it will continue to consult with its US allies on the matter. This news comes as a surprise, as previous reports suggested that Seoul was abandoning its push for a US-South Korea joint military parade in order to avoid angering North Korea. Stress continues to mount on the Korean Peninsula, and it will be interesting to see how events unfold in the coming weeks and months.
North Korea Threatens to Shut Down South's Nuclear Plants
North Korea has threatened to shut down South's nuclear plants in response to upcoming US military exercises that will include simulated nuclear attacks. The North Korean Central News Agency released a statement on Thursday saying that the country is "prepared torespond with a massive force of strategic weapons" if the South conducts the drills. The statement comes after North Korea threatened to launch a nuclear attack on the United States in response to new sanctions from Washington.
The annual joint US-South Korea military exercises, known as Foal Eagle, are set to begin next week and last for about two months. They will consist of training involving tens of thousands of American and South Korean troops on how to respond to a North Korean attack. Pyongyang has condemned Foal Eagle as an invasion rehearsal, and has issued warnings that it will take retaliatory measures against the South if it participates.
Pyongyang has been threatening war with Washington for years, but the situation has recently escalated after President Trump announced plans to send more troops to South Korea and increase sanctions against North Korea. In response, Kim Jong Un ordered his military commanders this weekto prepare for another possible nuclear attack on American targets.
The statement from North Korea comes just days after Seoul said it was considering using its nuclear arsenal in case of an attack by the North. Defence Minister Song Young-moo told lawmakers during a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday that Seoul was studying whether or not to use its tactical nukes in case of an emergency situation."We have never
S Korea and US to Hold Military Drills
South Korea and the United States are set to hold military drills this week amid heightened concern over North Korea's weapons programs.
The annual Ulchi-Freedom Guardian exercises, which began on Monday, will involve some 25,000 American troops and 50,000 South Korean soldiers. The drills are expected to last until mid-August.
The drill is being held in the middle of a heated discussion between Seoul and Washington about how to deal with Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions. Earlier this month, North Korean state media reported that leader Kim Jong Un had inspected a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that could hit the US mainland.
Washington has urged Seoul to bolster its defenses against the North, while Seoul has voiced concerns about provoking Pyongyang. In May 2017, South Korea tested two missiles - one of which is believed to have been capable of hitting targets as far away as Japan - in response to the North's nuclear test.
S Korea Ready to Respond With Nuclear Force to North's Attacks
S Korea Ready to Respond With Nuclear Force to North's Attacks
According to The Diplomat, South Korean President Park Geun-hye convened her National Security Council on November 9 to discuss the possibility of using nuclear weapons in response to a possible attack from the Northern half of the Korean Peninsula.
In a meeting with top military officials, including Defense Minister Han Min-koo and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Jeong Seung-hyun, Park reportedly "urged them not to rule out the use of all available methods if North Korea threatened South Korea or its allies," including nukes. A senior defense ministry official told The Wall Street Journal that "the president stressed that we could not tolerate any threats from North Korea."
South Korea has been reticent about using its nuclear weapons since they were first introduced in the 1980s as part of a strategy of deterrence against an attack by Pyongyang, but recent tensions on the peninsula have increased calls for their use.
The move comes amid rising concerns over North Korean missile and nuclear tests, as well as threats made by Pyongyang against both Seoul and Washington. In September, North Korea test-fired two intercontinental ballistic missiles that could potentially reach US soil. And last month, the regime warned of a "super-mighty pre-emptive strike" against US bases in Japan and South Korea in retaliation for joint military exercises between South Korean and American troops scheduled for this winter.
What is the Joint U.S.-S Korean military drill?
The Joint U.S.-S Korean military drill, which is set to kick off on August 1st and last for two weeks, has been widely discussed in the media. The aim of the drill is to improve interoperability between the two militaries, but some experts are concerned that it could lead to increased tensions on the peninsula.
In an interview with Reuters earlier this month, South Korean National Assembly Member Yoon Sang-kyun said his country was discussing joint exercises using nuclear assets. This comes following North Korea's latest ballistic missile launch, which analysts say was likely designed as a show of strength ahead of the joint drill.
Some experts say that there is a risk that the drill could result in a conflict on the peninsula. Kim Dong-yub, an expert at Seoul's Institute for Far East Studies, says that any incident during or after the drill could be used by North Korea to justify its weapons programmes. He says that Pyongyang would "use any excuse" to strike again and warns that hostilities could break out "without warning."
Others argue that tensions on the peninsula are already high enough and that drills like these only make things worse. Park Young-seok, a professor at Sogang University who specializes in Northeast Asian security affairs, believes that such exercises are necessary but also warn that they can escalate into something much more serious.
How does this affect the Korean peninsula?
The United States and South Korea are discussing the possibility of holding joint nuclear exercises in the coming months, despite tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The discussions come as North Korea is engaged in a series of missile tests and nuclear tests. During a press conference with reporters on Wednesday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that South Korea has expressed an interest in participating in future joint drills and that both countries are exploring ways to keep communication open with North Korea. "We're just trying to find ways so we can communicate with them, because obviously [North Korea] wants to talk about things other than these missiles," he said. The secretary's comments follow a report from Reuters last week which stated that US troops stationed in South Korea have been preparing for possible military action against North Korea. According to the report, US officials believe that Pyongyang may be planning an attack on Seoul, though they have yet to confirm this information. In response to Tillerson's statements, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said that her country will continue conducting regular military exercises with the United States even as it seeks improved ties with Pyongyang. "At present, our position is unchanged as South Korea will maintain its current policy regarding cooperative engagement with the United States while jointly patrolling against North Korean threats," she said during a news conference on Thursday.
Tensions between the United States and North Korea have been high for some time now, and there is no indication that they are going to calm down any time soon. The situation is made
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