Seoul to deploy more US military assets

The US will send its strategic military assets to South Korea on a more regular basis to better counter North Korea's escalating military threats, the Souths National Security Adviser has said.

Chung Eui-young made the remarks on Wednesday during President Moon Jae-in's meeting with the leaders of major parties at the presidential office, said Park Wan-joo, the spokesman of the ruling Democratic Party.

Moon and US President Donald Trump agreed to expand the rotational deployment of America's key military assets to the peninsula and its surrounding area during their talks on the fringes of the UN General Assembly last week.

"The US has pledged to expand the rotational deployment of its strategic assets near the Korean Peninsula," Chung told the political leaders after being asked if there was "any crack" in terms of trust between the security allies.

"(The deployment) will begin before the end of this year, and this will help us expand our defence capabilities," Chung was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency.

The security adviser did not specify what strategic assets will be deployed here but South Korean officials usually define this as nuclear-powered submarines, long-range nuclear-capable bombers and stealth warplanes.

North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong earlier threatened that his country's military was ready to shoot down American military planes whether or not they were in North Korean airspace.

South Korean lawmakers were told that Washington had put its pledge on the deployment in writing, confirmed Park.

A spokesman for the US Pacific Command, based in Hawaii, did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation or comment.

During the South Korean President's dinner meeting with the party leaders, Moon stressed that security cooperation between the allies was "watertight", and that from the US standpoint, the alliance with Seoul was of great importance.

--IANS

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