As nuclear tensions rise, are US defence plans for South Korea workable?

The consultative group’s declared goals include “information sharing, consultative mechanisms, and joint planning and execution” but the details of how to coordinate nuclear operations between the US and South Korea remain unclear.

02:22

US, South Korea agree to increase drills amid growing missile threat from North Korea

South Korea is working to establish its own strategic command by the end of this year, and also to align this new command with the US strategic command. Given the many disparities in the command and control structures and functions, integration will be challenging.

02:10

South Korea suspends peace pact with North over trash-filled balloons, raising risk of clashes

A third possibility is for US tactical nukes to be deployed to South Korea. Unfortunately, all three of these options which South Korean national security planners would like to consider are being assiduously blocked by the US.

Establishing the nuclear consultative group has been something of a Pyrrhic victory for President Yoon and South Korea: how will they be judged in the medium and long term? Despite recent progress, it will be very difficult to maintain a credible deterrence against North Korea’s threats unless and until South Korea becomes a nuclear power.

03:12

'It's the tensest city': South Koreans on border with North fear conflict

The successful integration of South Korea’s conventional weapons systems into the US nuclear umbrella will require complex strategic calculations, including how to plan and execute joint and combined operations on the Korean peninsula as part of the US-led extended nuclear deterrence. Also unresolved is how to achieve effective cooperation between the US strategic command and South Korea’s yet-to-be-created