The United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) held the fourth Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) meeting in Washington, D.C. on January 10, 2025. The NCG serves as a bilateral consultative body aimed at enhancing extended deterrence to support peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the surrounding region.
The meeting was co-chaired by Ms. Cara Abercrombie, who is performing the duties of Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, and Dr. Cho Chang Lae, ROK Deputy Minister for National Defense Policy. Participants included officials from both nations' national security councils, defense departments, foreign affairs ministries, intelligence agencies, and military authorities.
Both sides acknowledged the NCG's contributions over the past year to nuclear deterrence and response capabilities through comprehensive discussions on extended deterrence areas such as information sharing, consultative mechanisms, joint planning, and execution.
"The United States reaffirmed its commitment to the ROK is enduring and ironclad," according to a statement from U.S. representatives. They further stated that any nuclear attack by North Korea would prompt "a swift, overwhelming, and decisive response." The commitment includes all U.S. capabilities, including nuclear options.
Discussions also covered progress in various workstreams like security protocols; nuclear planning; conventional-nuclear integration (CNI); exercises; simulations; crisis communication processes; secure communication systems; and strategic messaging. These efforts align with guidelines designed to enhance U.S.-ROK extended deterrence cooperation.
The co-chairs praised advancements in nuclear and strategic planning through CNI workstreams developed by defense components such as ROK Strategic Command and U.S.-ROK Combined Forces Command.
Activities like the Nuclear Deterrence Immersion Course and military-to-military table-top exercises were assessed as contributing to coordinated decision-making on nuclear deterrence.
Additionally, "the United States also reaffirmed the commitment to enhance the regular visibility of U.S. strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula," while both parties agreed on continuing conventional-nuclear integration exercises.
The NCG was recognized as an enduring bilateral consultative body that has deepened cooperation between the U.S. and ROK in extended deterrence matters. Co-chairs emphasized its role as a foundation for strengthening this cooperation in an integrated manner.
Plans were approved for key activities in early 2025 including a fifth principal-level NCG meeting scheduled to take place in South Korea.
An NCG fact sheet detailing key workstreams can be accessed online.
