Seoul, Aug 30 – South Korea and the United States are set to hold vice-ministerial discussions in Washington next week to address deterrence strategies against North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, according to South Korea’s foreign ministry on Friday.
The ministry announced that the fifth session of the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG) will occur on Wednesday (local time). The meeting will focus on evaluating the progress made by the allies in countering North Korea’s military threats. Additionally, the discussions will explore ways to strengthen coordination between the two nations to enhance “extended deterrence” in response to the current security situation.
Extended deterrence refers to the US’s pledge to use all of its military capabilities, including nuclear options, to defend South Korea.
The talks will be led by South Korea’s First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun; Cho Chang-rae, Deputy Defence Minister for Policy; Bonnie Jenkins, the US Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security; and Cara Abercrombie, Acting Deputy Undersecretary of Defence for Policy.
The EDSCG dialogue was revived in September 2022, following a more than four-year hiatus during the Moon Jae-in administration, which pursued a policy of engagement with Pyongyang. The decision to resume these talks was made during the May 2022 summit between President Yoon Suk Yeol and US President Joe Biden as part of their joint efforts to address North Korea’s advancing nuclear and missile programs.
