Biden and Yoon want to strengthen their military cooperation in the face of the « threat » from Pyongyang

The United States and South Korea want to strengthen their military cooperation in order to counter the growing « threat » from North Korea, the presidents of the two countries, Joe Biden and Yoon Suk-yeol, said on Saturday in Seoul.

The two leaders, who met during Mr Biden’s first trip to Asia as president, nevertheless reached out to North Korea to help it deal with the Covid-19 pandemic . And this while Pyongyang has accelerated its armament program and seems to be preparing a nuclear test.

« Given the evolving threat posed by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK, the official name of North Korea, editor’s note), the two leaders agree to enter into discussions with a view to broadening the scope and scale of joint military exercises and training in and around the Korean Peninsula, » according to a joint statement released after the summit.

The statement comes as South Korean intelligence services have warned that North Korea has completed preparations to carry out a nuclear test, which would be the seventh in its history and the first in five years.

Washington has not ruled out a « provocation » by Pyongyang during or just after Mr. Biden’s tour of Asia.

Adding to the uncertainties, North Korea, whose population is not vaccinated against Covid-19, is currently facing an epidemic outbreak, with nearly 2.5 million cases and 66 deaths, according to the latest official figures published. Saturday.

MM. Yoon and Biden expressed « concern about the recent Covid-19 outbreak » in North Korea, and « stand ready to work with the international community to provide assistance, » they said in their joint statement.

– Key decision –

Mr Biden said Washington had offered vaccines to Pyongyang but « got no response ».

For his part, Mr. Yoon stressed that this offer of assistance responds to « humanitarian principles, distinct from political and military issues. »

The way in which this health crisis will influence the military decisions of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is the great unknown that Americans and South Koreans are trying to clarify.

Either way, the decision whether or not to carry out a nuclear test will be key in setting the course for US-South Korean relations during President Yoon’s five-year term, the former analyst at AFP told AFP. CIA Soo Kim.

« If Kim conducts a trial run during Biden’s visit, it will indeed help both countries find a greater rationale for working together on the North Korea issue, » she said.

North Korea has ramped up its weapons testing since the start of the year. Talks to disarm him have stalled since a failed summit in 2019 between Kim Jong Un and then-US President Donald Trump.

On Saturday, Mr Biden said he would only agree to a possible meeting with the North Korean leader if the latter was « sincere ».

While North Korea topped the conversation, Mr Biden’s main goal at Saturday’s summit was to establish « a strong personal relationship » with Mr Yoon, who came to power on May 10, a source said. American official before the meeting.

Yoon Suk-yeol, a pro-American conservative, promised a tougher policy towards Pyongyang. He said he and Mr Biden had « discussed the need for different types of joint exercises to prepare for a nuclear attack ».

– Airplanes and missiles –

Talks are also underway on ways to « coordinate with the United States in the timely deployment of strategic assets if needed », he said.

These means should include « fighter jets and missiles, unlike in the past when we only thought of the nuclear umbrella for deterrence », he said, reaffirming his commitment to the « complete denuclearization » of the North Korea.

Any deployment of such weapons, or any intensification of joint military exercises, risks angering Pyongyang, which considers these exercises to be dress rehearsals for an invasion.

After South Korea, Mr. Biden will fly to Japan on Sunday, where he will meet the Emperor, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and participate in the Quad summit, this diplomatic format which brings together the United States, Japan, the India and Australia.