Page 64 - 2018 Defense White Paper

deterrence for the ROK remains credible, capable, and enduring by continuing to enhance Alliance
deterrence measures and capabilities in response to the increasing North Korean nuclear, weapons of
mass destruction (WMDs), and ballistic missile threat, and continuing to promote information-sharing
and interoperability. The Minister and Secretary highlighted the increased frequency and intensity of
deployments of U.S. Navy and Air Force assets, consistent with the Presidents’ commitments to enhance
rotational deployments of U.S. strategic assets in and around the Korean Peninsula. The Minister and
the Secretary pledged to continue to develop extended deterrence-related policies, procedures,
and consultative mechanisms under the auspices of the Deterrence Strategy Committee (DSC)
and Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG), and to increase the execution
capabilities of the Tailored Deterrence Strategy (TDS) and the 4D (Detect, Defend, Disrupt, and Destroy)
Concept and Principles Implementation Guidelines (CPIG). The Minister and the Secretary shared the
understanding that it is necessary to enhance the Alliance deterrence posture, and to this end, pledged
to explore ways to expand the scope of cooperation.

6. The Minister and the Secretary highlighted the Alliance decision to operationalize the Terminal High-
Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery to protect ROK citizens and U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) from the
increasing North Korean nuclear and ballistic missile threats. The two reaffirmed that the deployment is
provisional pending completion of the related Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), consistent with
ROK domestic law. The Minister and the Secretary emphasized the military effectiveness of THAAD and

reaffirmed that the system is aimed solely at defending against North Korean missile threats and would
not be directed toward any third party nations.

7. The Minister and the Secretary also decided to enhance information-sharing on North Korean missile
threats. The ROK and the United States are committed to maintaining close consultation to develop
comprehensive Alliance response capabilities to counter North Korean nuclear, other WMD, and ballistic
missile threats. The Minister conveyed that the ROK is seeking to develop expeditiously its own “Kill
Chain,” Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD), and other Alliance systems to enhance the ROK-U.S.
combined defense posture. These systems represent a critical military capability for responding to North
Korean nuclear and missile threats and are to be interoperable with Alliance systems, including the Patriot
and THAAD. To this end, the ROK commits to continue to invest in capabilities to Detect, Defend, Disrupt,
and Destroy North Korean nuclear and missile threats. In this regard, the Minister and the Secretary
pledged to implement at the earliest opportunity the decision by the two Presidents to remove limits on
missile payload under the Revised Missile Guidelines (RMG).

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