SEOUL ¨C The United States and South Korea plan to draw up joint guidelines on a nuclear defense strategy by the middle of next year and establish an integrated system to deter North Korea¡¯s nuclear weapons, the Yonhap news agency said Saturday.
Washington and Seoul have decided to complete a comprehensive guideline by next year on how to contain and respond to Pyongyang¡¯s nuclear threat together, Yonhap reported, citing Kim Tae-hyo, South Korea¡¯s deputy national security adviser, who was speaking to reporters in the U.S.
The guideline is expected to include methods of sharing sensitive information related to North Korea¡¯s nuclear weapons, the consultation process in the event of a nuclear crisis, and real-time communication channels between the two countries¡¯ leaders, it said.
The U.S. and South Korea are also expected to include nuclear operation exercises in next year¡¯s joint military drills, Yonhap said.
North Korea may test-launch an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) this month, which is a nuclear threat regardless of its range because it can carry a nuclear warhead, Kim had said on Friday.
North Korea has developed and tested a range of ballistic missiles that can reach targets in South Korea, Japan, and the U.S. mainland.
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