Page 77 - 2020 Defence White Paper

clearly stated that any nuclear attacks by North Korea will not be tolerated.
Going forward, the ROK Armed Forces will continue to facilitate the imple-
mentation of the US extended deterrence commitment based on the TDS and bolster
the ROK–US combined deterrence and response capabilities.

Developing the Alliance’s Based on the TDS, the ROK and the US are
Counter-Missile Strategy continuously developing the "ROK–US Alliance
Comprehensive Counter-Missile Strategy", also Chapter 3
known as the "4D Strategy", to prepare for North Korea’s ballistic missile threats.
The two countries reached an agreement on the "4D Operational Concept"
21)
at the 46th SCM in 2014, and approved the implementation guidance on the 4D
Operational Concept at the 47th SCM in 2015. The guidance includes concrete
instructions based on the 4D Operational Concept. Since 2016, the ROK and the US
have been developing ways to implement, based on the guidance, the concept in five
fields including the alliance’s decision-making, planning, command and control, 21)
Refers to the ROK–US
exercise and training, and capability development. Alliance Comprehensive
Counter-Missile Strategy,
with "comprehensive"
referring to the
[Chart 3-7] TDS and 4D Strategy improvement of overall
capabilities in all areas
including detecting,
disrupting, destroying, and
ROK defending (4D) to prepare
ROK Capabilities Counter-missile Capabilities for ballistic missile threats.
ROK Capabilities (M elements) US 4D Strategy The concepts of each area
are as follows:
(DIE elements) US Capabilities Counter-missile Capabilities • Detect: Support efforts
US Capabilities (M elements) to disrupt, destroy, and
(DIE elements) TDS defend using intelligence,
surveillance, and
reconnaissance (ISR)
assets;
• Disrupt: Strike
North Korea’s fixed
infrastructure that
 DIE: Diplomacy, Information, Economy support missile
 M: Military operations;
• Destroy: Directly strike
North Korean ballistic
In the 9th DSC held in 2019, the ROK and the US established the "4D Operational missiles as well as
Execution Concept " for the practical implementation of the 4D Operational transporter erector
22)
launchers (TELs); and
Concept. The two concepts were integrated and is referred to as the 4D Strategy. • Defend: Intercept North
Korean ballistic missiles
Fundamentally, the alliance is sharing concepts of conducting operations and launched toward the
ROK.
developing specific operational procedures to prepare for North Korean ballistic
22)
missile threats. It is the ROK–US joint
operation stage to
The ROK Armed Forces will continue to enhance the alliance’s comprehensive effectively counter North
Korean ballistic missile
counter-missile capabilities and posture in order to effectively respond to various threats; it consists of
Detect, Decide, Defeat, and
ballistic missile threats from North Korea. Defend.

Chapter 3. Safeguarding Peace by Establishing a Robust Defense Posture Against Omnidirectional Security Threats 75