The Pentagon said on Thursday that the US and South Korea staged a table-top exercise, which aimed to counter the possibility of North Korea using a nuclear weapon.
This was the 8th Deterrence Strategy Committee Table-Top Exercise (DSC TTX) between the two countries, and the first edition since they agreed last year to hold the drills annually.
The United States and South Korea have held a joint air exercise involving US strategic bombers after North Korea fired a intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in a "sudden launching drill".
— PressTV Extra (@PresstvExtra) February 19, 2023
Follow Press TV on Telegram: https://t.co/0EMmcJs6DL pic.twitter.com/dYSAw1udYh
The Pentagon said in a statement that given Pyongyang’s “recent aggressive nuclear policy and advancements in nuclear capabilities,” the exercise focused on the possibility of the regime’s use of nuclear weapons.
Moreover, the countries’ focused on “Alliance deterrence and maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.” They further discussed options “to demonstrate the Alliance’s strong response capabilities and resolve to respond appropriately” to any nuclear use by the North.
Seoul’s defence ministry said that both sides reaffirmed their readiness for any nuclear threats by the Kim Jong-un administration, and agreed to “continue reinforcing intelligence sharing, crisis consultation, joint planning and execution of extended deterrence.”
Official Footage- North Korea launching ‘#HWASONG-15’ #ICBM under a ‘Sudden launching drill’ in response to US-S Korea bilateral exercise. The #missile flew 989 Km in 66 minutes, reached an altitude of 5768 Km and reportedly landed into Sea of #Japan. #NorthKorea #US #SouthKorea pic.twitter.com/8n0MZErUYW
— EurAsian Times (@THEEURASIATIMES) February 20, 2023
The US stressed that any use of nuclear weapons by North Korea against it, or its allies, “would be unacceptable and result in an end of its regime.”
The South Korean Defence Ministry further stated that the manoeuvre “showcased the enhanced interoperability between the two nations” and “reaffirmed the US’s dedication to securing the Korean Peninsula’s airtight defence and upholding extended deterrence measures.”
After the exercise, officials from both countries visited Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Georgia. They discussed “how best to leverage [South Korea’s] non-nuclear capabilities to support nuclear deterrence against [North Korea’s] nuclear threats,” the statement added.
The exercise followed incidents reflecting North Korea’s increasing aggression via a string of ballistic missile tests.