▲ This undated photo, captured from the Twitter account of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, shows a U.S. strategic submarine in Guam. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

US submarine-denuclearization declaration

Planned U.S. nuclear submarine visit does not breach 1991 denuclearization declaration: ministry

SEOUL, April 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's defense ministry said Friday the upcoming visit of a U.S. nuclear ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) to the country does not violate the 1991 inter-Korean denuclearization declaration.

Adopted at this week's summit between President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden, the "Washington Declaration" included a U.S. plan to send to Korea the submarine capable of launching nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles.

Some raised questions over whether the plan would contravene the declaration that the two Koreas reached in December 1991, pledging not to test, produce, receive, possess, store, deploy or use any nuclear weapons.

"After a legal review, we have reached a conclusion that there is no problem (with the SSBN visit)," a ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

The planned SSBN visit was included in the Washington Declaration that entailed a series of measures to strengthen the credibility of America's "extended deterrence" commitment to mobilizing the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear, to defend its ally.

Critics said the SSBN visit could run counter to the inter-Korean declaration as it could potentially be seen as nuclear arms being brought to the peninsula.

(END)

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]