SEOUL-- South Korea's defense ministry said Thursday that the United States remains firm on its pledge to provide a "nuclear umbrella" to its Asian ally, amid reports that Washington is considering a policy shift to limit its use of nuclear arms.
During an ongoing nuclear posture review, the Joe Biden administration has reportedly been mulling a "no-first-use" declaration that would rule out the possibility of the U.S. launching a preemptive nuclear strike in a contingency, a move that critics say could weaken deterrence against potential adversaries.
"South Korea and the U.S., as allies, have been closely communicating and consulting over various security matters, and regarding the nuclear posture review, the U.S. side has been sufficiently sharing related information with us," Boo Seung-chan, spokesperson of the ministry, told a regular press briefing.
"What we can say is there is no change at all in the U.S. commitment to providing the nuclear umbrella," he added.
The nuclear umbrella is part of Washington's stated commitment to mobilizing a full range of military capabilities, nuclear and conventional, to defend its Asian ally. The commitment is often dubbed "extended deterrence."
Source: Yonhap News Agency