Biden, Yoon to show unity on North Korea with many 'deliverables' for alliance: U.S. experts

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, left, talks with U.S. President Joe Biden during their summit at a hotel in Phnom Penh on Nov. 13, 2022. [YONHAP]

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden will likely show strong unity on how to deal with threats posed by North Korea while they are expected to produce many deliverable agreements on ways to further strengthen the alliance, U.S. experts said Wednesday.

Yoon will make a state visit to the United States from Monday, two days before he and Biden will hold a summit in Washington.

"I expect unity on North Korea," said Victor Cha, senior vice president for Asia and Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a think tank based in Washington.

"I don't expect any new initiatives in terms of diplomacy. North Korea doesn't seem to be interested in diplomacy right now, but we will certainly see unity in purpose and mission from the two presidents on that," he told a telephonic press briefing.

The upcoming summit follows an unprecedented number of North Korean missile provocations. Pyongyang launch a record 69 ballistic missiles in 2022, followed by dozens of missile tests, including an intercontinental ballistic missile launch, this year.

Against such backdrop, the allies have been discussing ways to strengthen U.S. extended deterrence, including the relaunching of the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group in 2022 after a five-year hiatus.

"I expect that there will be some announcements of new things on extended deterrence," said Cha, adding, "This has been a major issue between the two allies, given North Korea's continued provocations."

Ellen Kim, deputy director of CSIS Korea Chair, said the leaders will likely explore cooperation in other areas related to North Korea, noting North Korea "will be the key agenda issue for both leaders."

"This will include measures to strengthen and upgrade U.S. extended deterrence in South Korea and also expand their security partnerships in new areas like space and cybersecurity," she told the briefing.

"We may expect to see a major announcement on cyber security cooperation between the two countries, which will involve joint cyber exercises and also enhanced information and intelligence sharing between the two countries," added Kim.

The leaders are also expected to produce agreements on ways to further enhance their countries' alliance, according to the experts.

"I expect a big piece of the summit deliverables to focus on the next generation work of the alliance," Cha said, noting South Korea currently is the third largest source of foreign students in the United States after China and India.

"But there's not as many Americans that are going to South Korea, and I expect that there will be some initiative or something of that sort announced with regard to encouraging more Americans to go to South Korea," he added.

Other deliverables that can be expected from the upcoming summit may include those in space exploration and space cooperation, Cha said, noting the South Korean president is scheduled to visit NASA during his trip.

Yonhap