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U.S.: no plans to redeploy tactical nukes to S. Korea
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- The United States has no plans to redeploy tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea despite renewed threats from North Korea, the White House said Monday.
North Korea Monday renewed its threat to wage nuclear war and vowed to respond to an 11-day South Korean-U.S. military exercise called Key Resolve/Foal Eagle. Speaking to reporters, State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said the exercises are "defensive in nature." "The U.S. and Republic of Korea routinely conduct joint military exercises," Crowley said. "North Korea was notified about these exercises on February 14th, and its belligerent rhetoric is unwarranted." The U.S. pulled all of its tactical nuclear weapons out of South Korea in 1991 as the two Koreas signed an agreement calling for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and inter-Korean rapprochement. Washington since then has committed to providing so-called "extended deterrence," using all of the U.S. military might, including the nuclear umbrella and ballistic missiles, in defense of South Korea. Some South Korean conservatives, however, have periodically called for the redeployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons or a nuclear-armed South Korea since North Korea conducted nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009 and test-fired ballistic missiles. Then-South Korean Defense Minister Kim Tae-young said in November that he would consider discussing with the U.S. redeploying U.S. tactical nuclear weapons back to South Korea, although his remarks were quickly withdrawn by the presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, and the Defense Ministry. Posted by: Steve White 2011-03-01 |
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