Seoul, Washington nail down NCG details as 'Trump risk' looms

Defense

Published: 15 Feb. 2024, 19:03 Updated: 15 Feb. 2024, 19:05

Seoul, Washington nail down NCG details as 'Trump risk' looms

Cho Chang-rae, left, Korea’s deputy defense minister for policy, and Vipin Narang, U.S. principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for space policy, sign a framework document on the South Korea-U.S. Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) at the Pentagon in Virginia on Monday. [DEFENSE MINISTRY]

South Korean and U.S. defense authorities signed a framework document on the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) earlier this week to strengthen extended deterrence in light of the North's nuclear threat.

The South Korean Ministry of National Defense and Pentagon said Wednesday that the document was signed on Monday at the Pentagon by Cho Chang-rae, Korea's deputy defense minister for policy, and Vipin Narang, the U.S. principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for space policy.

The framework outlines the NCG's establishment, organization and functions and stipulates that the two countries' defense authorities will lead future consultations.

Accordingly, the two sides will spearhead efforts to fully establish guidelines regarding the planning and operation of a shared nuclear strategy by the first half of this year.

The NCG was established under the Washington Declaration adopted by Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden during their summit in April last year as a part of efforts to enhance deterrence against North Korean nuclear and missile threats.

The document's signing comes amid concern in Seoul over what a potential return of former U.S. President Donald Trump to the White House entails for the alliance and the U.S. nuclear umbrella.

Last week, Trump, who is the front-runner for the Republican Party's nomination for the U.S. presidential election in November, made a bombshell remark suggesting he would not defend North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies who didn't increase their defense spending and even encourage Russia to attack them.

On Saturday, Trump warned that he would allow Russia to do whatever it wants to NATO members that are "delinquent" in devoting 2 percent of their GDP to defense costs.

Such remarks have also prompted concerns about a "Trump risk" in Korea.

Trump, during his presidency, similarly questioned the necessity of extending a nuclear umbrella to U.S. allies in East Asia and openly complained about the cost of deploying strategic assets for the defense of the Korean Peninsula, calling on Seoul to pay more.

Thus, the current administrations in both countries appear to be speeding along the process of nailing down the NCG and documenting follow-up steps of the bilateral NCG to be prepared for all scenarios, regardless of who is in office.

The Defense Ministry said the "NCG is intended to strengthen extended deterrence through joint South Korea-U.S. nuclear and strategic planning" and response capabilities.

This emphasis on joint nuclear and strategic planning is intended to institutionalize Korea's input in the nuclear operation process.

The South Korean government aims to go beyond the passive sense of an extended deterrence under the U.S. nuclear umbrella and enable the public to feel that Seoul is jointly participating in decisions regarding the deployment of U.S. strategic assets.

Analysts say that if Trump were to be elected as president again, he would likely overturn the bilateral NCG.

In response, the Korean government is working on the institutionalization of a joint nuclear strategy plan and ironing out the core agreements to make them more difficult to reverse even if there is a change in administration on either side.

"The NCG is an enduring bilateral consultative body to ensure the ability to strengthen extended deterrence through joint ROK-U.S. nuclear and strategic planning in the context of the nuclear threat posed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," Cmdr. Jessica Anderson, a Pentagon spokesperson, said in a statement Wednesday.

She referred to the acronym for the Republic of Korea — South Korea's official name — and the North's official name.

The NCG was launched in July 2023 in Seoul, and a second meeting involving security authorities was held in Washington last December.

Defense officials will lead the third meeting scheduled for June in Seoul.

The White House National Security Council (NSC) remains "fundamentally engaged in the NCG," National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a press briefing in Washington on Wednesday, calling it an "interagency process" that involves the Defense Department, NSC and the intelligence community.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]