S. Korea, U.S. to test deterrence plan against N.K. nukes
2014/07/24 17:58
SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States plan to implement their deterrence strategy aimed at curbing North Korea's nuclear threats during their upcoming joint exercise next month, defense ministry officials said Thursday.
Seoul and Washington are slated to hold the Ulchi-Freedom Guardian (UFG), an annual joint combat readiness exercise, for about two weeks in August to test and improve their joint defense posture against possible provocations from the North.
"As part of the UFG, the two countries are scheduled to hold a tabletop exercise, known as TTX, involving their commanders to check readiness and practice how to respond to North Korea in case of threats with nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction," a defense ministry official said.
It will be the first time for the allies to test their customized deterrence plan against Pyongyang after drawing it up during their defense ministerial meeting last year, he noted.
The bilateral strategy delineates how they should work together to deter both wartime and peacetime aggression from Pyongyang, from saber-rattling to the actual use of force.
North Korea has test-fired artillery shells and missiles from its coast on several occasions in recent weeks.
Defense Minister Han Min-koo visits the Army's missile headquarters in central South Korea and checks their readiness posture on July 23, 2014. (Yonhap)
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