US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin and his South Korean counterpart Lee Jong-sup met in Washington and agreed to “expand the joint exercises in the second half of 2022,” the South’s defense ministry said in a statement Saturday. They also vowed to strengthen the allies’ “deterrence posture” by deploying US strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula.
The two nations also agreed in the statement to “resolutely and jointly respond” to what they labeled North Korea’s provocative actions, with Austin pledging to use the “full range of US capabilities” to defend South Korea.
The two nations also agreed in the statement to “resolutely and jointly respond” to what they labeled North Korea’s provocative actions, with Austin pledging to use the “full range of US capabilities” to defend South Korea.