Washington: South Korea wants to strengthen cooperation with the United States and Japan over the U.S. military’s extended deterrence, including with its nuclear umbrella, an official of the South Korean presidential office said Friday.

The remark came after South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and USAU.S. President Joe Biden released the Washington Declaration on security cooperation Wednesday after their meeting at the White House the same day.

The official is apparently envisaging joint exercises involving the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, and the U.S. and South Korean militaries to coincide with the deployment of U.S. strategic arms to South Korea, as well as the start of trilateral discussions on boosting extended deterrence.

The official pointed out that Washington and Seoul need Tokyo’s cooperation in dealing with North Korea’s nuclear threats, and that the three governments are making efforts for such cooperation.

While the Washington Declaration is a declaration between South Korea and the United States, discussions may be held in the future for Japan’s participation in some parts, the official said.

The declaration highlights Washington’s commitment to providing extended deterrence and mentions a planned visit by a U.S. nuclear submarine to a South Korean port.

Dealing with North Korea is likely to be a major agenda item if Yoon and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida meet during the Japanese leader’s possible trip to South Korea in early May and if the Asian leaders and Biden hold a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of the summit of the Group of Seven major democracies in the western Japan city of Hiroshima on May 19-21.

JIJI Press