The United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) convened the third Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) in Seoul on June 10, 2024. Established to implement the Washington Declaration between the United States and Republic of Korea in April 2023, the NCG is a bilateral consultative body aimed at strengthening the U.S.-ROK Alliance and extended deterrence to contribute to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region.
The meeting was co-chaired by Dr. Vipin Narang, U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy, and Dr. Cho Chang Lae, ROK Deputy Minister for National Defense Policy. Officials from both countries' national security councils, defense departments, foreign affairs ministries, intelligence agencies, and military authorities participated.
During this NCG meeting, both sides assessed that the NCG has bolstered nuclear deterrence and response capabilities since its inception through comprehensive discussions on all areas of extended deterrence, including information sharing, consultative mechanisms, joint planning, and execution.
NCG Principals noted substantive progress on various workstreams such as NCG Guidelines; security and information sharing protocols; nuclear consultation and communication processes during crises; nuclear and strategic planning; U.S.-ROK conventional and nuclear integration (CNI); strategic communications; exercises; simulations; training activities; investment activities; and risk reduction practices.
The NCG completed its review of the Guidelines document that provides principles and procedures for maintaining credible nuclear deterrence policy. Both sides agreed that these Guidelines would lay a solid foundation for strengthening U.S.-ROK cooperation on extended deterrence as equal partners.
Furthermore, NCG Principals discussed joint planning and execution of U.S-ROK CNI options on the Korean Peninsula. They reaffirmed that integrating ROK advanced conventional capabilities with U.S. nuclear operations strengthens allied deterrence against DPRK threats.
NCG principals also applauded the second convening of the Nuclear Deterrence Immersion Course in May 2024, which enhanced ROK officials' expertise on applying nuclear deterrence on the Korean Peninsula.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continue close cooperation to strengthen combined deterrence and defense posture. The NCG will leverage interagency simulations, an NCG-led tabletop exercise (TTX), and a military-to-military TTX as venues to exercise its workstreams. Additionally, they discussed ways to enhance visibility of U.S. strategic assets deployments around the Korean Peninsula.
NCG principals approved a work plan for key activities in the second half of 2024. They reiterated their commitment to achieve substantive progress in an expedited manner. The outcomes will be reported at the 56th U.S.-ROK Security Consultative Meeting in Washington D.C., this fall.
The fourth principal-level NCG will be convened in the United States later this year.
