In a meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol in Seoul last Saturday, Biden said the United States would strengthen the allian...
In a meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol in Seoul last Saturday, Biden said the United States would strengthen the alliance and increase deterrence against the North Korean threat. Mr. Biden and Mr. Yoon announced they would explore ways to expand joint military exercises that had been canceled or scaled back under President Donald J. Trump.
While in South Korea, Mr. Biden expressed deep skepticism about the chances of meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, whom Mr. Trump has met three times. Asked by reporters if he had a message for Mr. Kim, Mr. Biden replied simply: “Hello. Period.”
Mr. Yoon has also been very skeptical of North Korea, saying that his predecessor, Moon Jae-in’s efforts to engage with the North in dialogue and reconciliation have failed. succeeded in rolling back its nuclear weapons programme.
When Mr. Yoon was make an oath on May 10, he dangled “a bold plan” to dramatically improve the northern economy and the quality of life of its residents. But like his conservative predecessors, he attached an important caveat: such economic largesse would only be possible “if North Korea genuinely embarks on a process of complete denuclearization.”
Wednesday’s missile tests indicated that North Korea was not interested in nuclear disarmament talks anytime soon. In a speech Speaking at a nighttime military parade in April, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un reiterated that his people should prepare for a standoff with the United States “for a long time.” It also pledged to expand its arsenal of nuclear warheads, intercontinental ballistic missiles and other delivery vehicles “at the fastest possible speed”.
Mr. Kim has also appeared to adopt a more aggressive nuclear doctrine in recent weeks.
In the same speech, he appeared to take a page from Russian President Vladimir V. Putin’s playbook when he warned that his nuclear arsenal was not only to deter foreign invasion, but also to be used “if forces attempt to violate the fundamental interests of our state.
Last month, Mr Kim’s sister and spokeswoman, Kim Yo-jong, said North Korea could use nuclear weapons “at the start of the war”. After a short-range missile test last month, Mr Kim said it improved the “effectiveness” of battlefield or “tactical nukes”.
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