WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden greeted his South Korean counterpart Yoon Suk-yeol for a state visit Wednesday at which they will announce a beefed-up US nuclear shield for Washington's vital ally in the face of an aggressive North Korea.
A military honour guard and hundreds of guests massed outside the White House where Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, arrived for a day of pomp and ceremony — and far-reaching geostrategic discussions.
Standing alongside Yoon, Biden lauded what he called the "unbreakable bond" of the countries' "iron-clad alliance," forged in the Korean War seven decades ago.
Today, the allies are economic powerhouses and partners in keeping a "free and open" Asia-Pacific region, Biden said, adding: "Ours is a future filled with unimaginable opportunities."
Yoon and Biden will meet together in the Oval Office and hold a joint press conference before ending the day with a lavish state dinner in the ceremonial East Room.
Ahead of Yoon's arrival, senior US officials told reporters that the two leaders would announce measures to reinforce deterrence against North Korea, including the first deployment of a US nuclear missile submarine to the country in decades.
What will be known as the Washington Declaration will also create a US-South Korean consultative group, giving Seoul more information and input on nuclear policy — although Washington will retain sole command of its weapons, officials said.
The arrangement — responding to ever-growing tension over communist North Korea's missile tests and nuclear arsenal — echoes moves last seen when Washington oversaw the defence of Europe against the Soviet Union.
"The United States has not taken these steps, really, since the height of the Cold War with our very closest handful of allies in Europe. And we are seeking to ensure that by undertaking these new procedures, these new steps, that our commitment to extended deterrence is unquestionable," a senior official said.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, stressed that there are no plans to station US nuclear weapons in South Korea — a difference from the Cold War, when US strategic weapons were deployed to Europe.
In addition, Seoul will reiterate its pledge in the declaration not to seek its own nuclear arsenal.
Submarine, aircraft carriers
"We'll announce that we intend to take steps to make our deterrence more visible through the regular deployment of strategic assets, including a US nuclear ballistic submarine visit to South Korea, which has not happened since the early 1980s," an official said.
In addition to submarines, there will be a "regular cadence" of other major platforms, "including bombers or aircraft carriers," the official said, emphasising however that there will be "no basing of those assets and certainly not nuclear weapons."
An official said that steps are being taken in advance to defuse potential tensions with Beijing over the tougher military posture.
"We are briefing the Chinese in advance and laying out very clearly our rationale for why we are taking these steps," the official said, adding that the Biden administration is "disappointed that China has been unprepared to use its influence" on North Korea.
Yoon is only the second foreign leader invited for a state visit by Biden and he and his wife were greeted with full military honors at the White House.
On Tuesday, Yoon and Biden visited the Korean War Memorial, which features life-sized steel statues of US soldiers marching during the 1950-53 war against the communist north.
Yoon also laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery and joined US Vice President Kamala Harris for a tour of a NASA facility near Washington.
Yoon will address a joint session of Congress on Thursday and have lunch with Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. On Friday, he will visit MIT and Harvard University in Boston, before returning home on Saturday.
