On Oct. 30, South Korea and the United States strongly condemned North Korea’s deployment of troops to Russia. The allies also announced plans to incorporate a North Korean nuclear attack scenario into joint military exercises, signaling an intention to integrate nuclear countermeasures into operational plans. This move comes amid concerns that North Korea, having sent more than 10,000 troops to Russia, may receive advanced nuclear and missile technologies—such as strategic nuclear submarine (SSBN) capabilities and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) re-entry technology—in exchange.
South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin issued the joint statement during the annual ROK-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting (SCM), held at the Pentagon. This meeting marks the first encounter between the two leaders since North Korea’s troop deployment to Russia.
In the joint statement, the defense chiefs denounced the expanding military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, which has now extended to troop deployments, and vowed to address these developments in close coordination with the international community “in the strongest terms with one voice.” They also cited recent provocations by North Korea, such as the detonation of a cross-border road, multiple intrusions by North Korean drones into South Korean airspace, and the release of trash-laden balloons, urging North Korea to end these activities.
In a significant policy shift, this year’s SCM saw both countries formally commit to including a “North Korean nuclear attack scenario against South Korea” in their operational plans for the first time. The statement noted that future joint exercises would feature realistic scenarios addressing potential North Korean nuclear use, a step beyond last year’s discussions. This decision responds to potential advancements in North Korea’s nuclear and missile capabilities, possibly bolstered by Russian technology transfers. The allies also reiterated that any nuclear attack on the U.S. or its allies would “lead to the end of the Kim Jong-un regime.”
Although not part of the public statement, the two leaders also discussed formalizing the Nuclear Operations Guidelines adopted by South Korean and U.S. presidents in July. This effort seeks to enhance integration between South Korea’s conventional forces and U.S. nuclear capabilities. To support this, they plan to draft a Conventional and Nuclear Integration (CNI) framework at the upcoming Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) meeting in December. The framework is expected to outline specific responses to North Korean provocations, such as deploying South Korea’s Hyunmoo-5 missiles and U.S. strategic nuclear submarines if North Korea were to launch a nuclear-armed ICBM.
South Korea’s Defense Ministry also confirmed plans to integrate joint simulations of North Korean nuclear attacks into the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercises starting next year. This will replace this year’s separate “Iron Mace” drill, aiming to boost the effectiveness of deterrence exercises.
In a noteworthy return, the SCM statement reinstated language urging North Korea to respect the Northern Limit Line (NLL), a maritime boundary the North has recently dismissed as “imaginary.” This is the first mention of the NLL in seven years, underscoring its importance in maintaining military separation and preventing escalation. U.S. support for the NLL aims to signal that any North Korean provocations in these waters will be deemed illegal.
This SCM marks the final meeting under the current Yoon Suk-yeol and Joe Biden administrations, with both countries underscoring the continuity of their alliance regardless of the U.S. election outcome. The U.S. reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining current troop levels in South Korea and praised the recently renewed Special Measures Agreement (SMA) for strengthening joint defense.
Secretary Austin also highlighted increased and regular deployments of U.S. strategic assets to South Korea, which could start as early as next year. A Defense Ministry official noted that merely having a response plan is not sufficient; visible displays of U.S. strategic assets send a more effective deterrence message to North Korea. This policy shift underscores the allies’ intent to sustain extended deterrence, even if the U.S. administration changes.
Additionally, the two countries approved a new “ROK-U.S. Alliance Security Cooperation Framework for the Indo-Pacific.” This marks the first official document promoting South Korea-U.S. cooperation in enhancing maritime security capabilities for ASEAN and Pacific island nations, expanding alliance efforts beyond the Korean Peninsula. A South Korean official noted that this reflects Seoul’s alignment with aspects of the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy, particularly regarding China.
While the SCM did not outline specific responses to North Korean troop deployments in Ukraine, it also did not address potential redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons. South Korea’s Defense Ministry confirmed that the issue of tactical nuclear redeployment was not discussed at the meeting.
