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President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea speaks at a joint press conference with US President Joe Biden following their summit on May 21, 2022, at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul. (presidential office pool photo)

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s remarks about alleged discussions of joint nuclear planning and exercises with the US have been making waves. They have also been a source of some confusion, as US President Joe Biden sent a different message with his curt negative response when asked about this by the press.

It’s been said that the remarks are an extension of an agreement reached by South Korean and US military authorities late last year. But it seems quite rash and inappropriate for the president to suddenly announce such things to a particular news outlet when such a sensitive matter hasn’t even been coordinated with the other side.

In an interview with the Chosun Ilbo newspaper published last Monday, Yoon said South Korea and the US were “discussing a plan for operating US nuclear capabilities based on a ‘joint planning and exercise’ concept.’”

“While the nuclear weapons belong to the US, South Korea and the US need to share information and conduct joint planning and exercises,” he continued, adding that the US had “expressed a fairly positive position.”

At their 54th Security Consultative Meeting last November, military authorities on both sides agreed on an extended deterrence cooperation plan that included “further strengthen[ing of] the Alliance's capabilities, information sharing, and consultation process, as well as joint planning and execution.”

The specifics are still under discussion at the current stage. Yoon appears to have spoken out already as though the plan was more or less finalized.

The terminology was also imprecise. While the joint communique referred to “joint execution,” Yoon’s remarks about “joint exercises” gave the false impression that South Korea would be conducting nuclear weapon exercises jointly with the US. Indeed, a reporter with the foreign press asked Biden whether the US was discussing “joint nuclear exercises” with South Korea.

“We’re not discussing joint nuclear exercises. The ROK is a non-nuclear weapons state,” the White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre explained.

This suggests that Biden said “no” to what he saw as joint exercises between two “nuclear weapons states.” The source of this confusion lies in Yoon’s incautious remarks about such a complex issue.

It’s also an exaggeration to talk about “joint nuclear planning and exercises” when there is almost no chance of the US altering the nuclear non-proliferation focus on its foreign policy. Indeed, the European allies involved in “nuclear sharing” through NATO only participate in limited ways in certain processes such as operation controls and after-the-fact assessments.

In addition, there’s a danger that these remarks might provoke not just North Korea but other countries like Japan and Taiwan. At a time when we should be carefully developing an effective response plan to advancements in the North’s nuclear capabilities, we can’t afford to have the president stirring up confusion and anxieties with remarks like these.

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]