PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE

President Yoon Suk Yeol (left), on a state visit to the U.S., and President of the U.S., Joe Biden on April 26 shake hands at their joint news conference held at the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington.

The inaugural meeting of the ROK-U.S. Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) to boost the extended deterrence against North Korea's nuclear threat was held on the morning of July 18 at the Office of the President in Seoul.

"The ROK-U.S. NCG will hold its inaugural meeting on July 18 in Seoul," presidential spokesperson Lee Do Woon said on the afternoon of July 17. "We will discuss information sharing and a consultation mechanism to strengthen nuclear deterrence against North Korea."

The NCG is a consultative body through which both countries share information on nuclear weapon operations and discuss planning and strategies together. Its launch was agreed on through the Washington Declaration announced in April at the bilateral summit, with this first meeting marking the beginning of the group's practical implementation.

Jointly chaired by Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo, U.S. National Security Council Coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell and U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition Cara Abercrombie, the meeting comprehensively covered NCG operations.

"To bolster nuclear deterrence against the North, the meeting will discuss joint planning and execution plans along with information sharing and consultation mechanisms," spokesperson Lee said. "This meeting will build strong enforcement capability of the bilateral alliance's extended deterrence."

President Yoon Suk Yeol stopped by the venue to encourage the delegations of both sides before attending a Cabinet meeting.

"The ROK-U.S. NCG meeting will be an important starting point for building a strong and effective extended deterrence," he said, "We will make tangible efforts to fundamentally contain North Korea's nuclear and missile threats through the bilateral alliance, which has been upgraded under a new paradigm based on nuclear weapons."

korea.net