Vice Defense Minister Shin Beom-cheol visited Joint Base Andrews in the U.S. on September 15 while visiting the 3rd Korea-U.S. High-Level Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG).
Shin's visit to the Andrews joint base was also accompanied by senior U.S. officials in charge of the expansionary deterrence, including U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Space Policy Vipin Narang, Sidharth Mohandas, and Richard Johnson, Assistant Secretary for Nuclear and WMD Response.
Vice Defense Minister received a briefing from the U.S. on the capabilities and management of U.S. strategic assets to be deployed on the Korean Peninsula in case of emergency.
The U.S.noted that the South Korean delegation has set up a special place to directly check U.S. strategic assets at the site in line with the purposeof the Korea-U.S. High-Level Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG).
Vice Defense Ministersaid, "It was a good opportunity to confirm the U.S.' strong ability to fulfill its pledge to curb expansion in South Korea, and U.S. strategic assets are a strong way to show our people and North Korea."
The South Korean and U.S. delegations had time to listen to detailed explanations and discuss the types and operations of strategic assets and low-power nuclear weapons deployed on the Korean Peninsula in case of an emergency, such as the B-52 strategic bomber.
In addition, they heard a detailed explanation of the specifications of the B-52 strategic bomber with low-tension nuclear weapons.
The U.S. officials in charge of the expansionary deterrence stressed that the U.S. pledge to provide deterrence against North Korea by utilizing all categories of military capabilities will surely be implemented.