The United States will make full use of its military capabilities, including nuclear, conventional and missile defence,” to defend its allies Japan and South Korea, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said Tuesday as she warned North Korea against escalating its provocations.
Sherman said North Korea’s repeated firings of ballistic missiles and artillery in recent weeks were provocative military actions. North Korea has described them as practice runs for the use of tactical nuclear weapons.
This is deeply irresponsible, dangerous, and destabilizing, Sherman said in talks in Tokyo with South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyungdong. The two officials met ahead of a three-way meeting with their Japanese counterpart on Wednesday.
It will be second in-person meeting of the three officials since conservative South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol took office in May, signalling an improvement in difficult ties between Japan and South Korea. A year ago, Japanese and South Korean vice ministers declined to participate in a joint news conference after three-way talks in Washington, leaving Sherman to make a solo media appearance.
Sherman said North Korea needs to understand that the US commitment to the security of South Korea and Japan is ironclad”. And we will use the full range of US defence capabilities to defend our allies, including nuclear, conventional and missile defence capabilities, she said.
Cho, during his talks with Sherman, raised concern that a new North Korean nuclear weapons policy adopted in September increases the possibility of its arbitrary use of nuclear weapons. This is creating serious tension on the Korean Peninsula, Cho said. Japanese officials have also warned of a possible nuclear test by North Korea in the near future. (SOURCE)
