한민구 국방, 오늘 한미 공조방안 발표
The defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States have released a joint statement,... reaffirming their alliance and commitment to countering Pyongyang's nuclear ambition.
South Korea's Defense Minister Han Min-koo and U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter spoke by phone late Wednesday to discuss a joint response to the latest threat.
Let's get all the details from our defense ministry correspondent Kim Hyun-bin, who is standing by at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul.
Hyun-bin
The defense chiefs called the incident a direct violation of international law as well as a threat to peace and stability not only on the Korean peninsula but in the Asia Pacific region.
"Both ministers agreed that North Korea should pay a price that is proportional to the provocation."
Han also emphasized that the international community will not recognize North Korea as a nuclear state now or in the future.
The two countries plans to strengthen their joint military exercises and enhance their joint operations against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.
This is known as the 4D plan,... which stands for detect, disrupt, destroy and defend.
Hyun-bin,... we're hearing that the U.S. could redeploy tactical nuclear weaponry to the Korean peninsula... any truth in that?
Neither South Korea nor the U.S. were able to spot any unusual activity in or around North Korea's nuclear facilities prior to the test, so the redeployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea could now be on the table.
"Secretary Carter reaffirmed the U.S.'s ironclad defense commitment to South Korea, and this includes all kinds of extended deterrence assets."
Diplomatic sources in Washington told Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency that Wednesday's nuclear test by the North will lead Seoul to strengthen its nuclear deterrent capabilities to counter Pyongyang's growing nuclear threats.
South Korea currently relies on the U.S. nuclear umbrella, after Washington withdrew its nuclear weapons from the peninsula in the early 1990s.
Every time North Korea conducts a nuclear test -- and just as a reminder that's three times, in 2006, 2009 and 2013 -- it has raised calls for the U.S. to redeploy tactical nuclear weaponry to the peninsula, but each time the idea has been dismissed as a nonstarter by both governments.
Tactical nuclear weapons are generally smaller and designed for battlefield use, though there aren't clear criteria for these weapons.
Experts say some of the weaponry that could be discussed now... could include the missile defense system known as THAAD, or Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, though there's already been some controversy around whether the U.S. should deploy THAAD to South Korea.
The U.S. could also deploy B-52 bombers and F-22 raptor stealth fighter jets.
Thanks, Hyunbin for that.
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