South Korean sentiments divided on military alliance
News Agency reported.
The leaders also agreed to expand the rotational deployment of US strategic assets to South Korea and its surrounding areas, Moon said at the televised press conference.
“We agreed to immediately begin negotiations on South Korea’s development and acquisition of the most advanced military surveillance assets,” Moon was quoted as saying.
The report cited a Blue House official as saying that the discussion included Seoul’s development or acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines, which can intercept North Korea’s submarine-launched ballistic missiles.
Flexing naval muscle
The US has also been flexing its naval muscle in the region ahead of Trump’s visit with three aircraft carriers conducting exercises in the Pacific for the first time since 2007, CNN reported.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying on Tuesday called on the parties concerned to contribute to the peaceful resolution of the Korean nuclear issue through diplomatic means.
“The agreements reached on Tuesday between South Korea and the US signify an all-round upgrade of their military alliance in the region,” Lü Chao, a research fellow at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.
However, according to Lü, the removal of limits to the South Korean missile payloads means that it will be equipped with weapons with a strike range beyond the Korean Peninsula, a move that could bring a negative impact to regional stability, and rattle countries like China and Russia.
South Korea’s ballistic missiles are limited to a range of 800 kilometers and a maximum payload weight of 500 kilograms under a bilateral treaty with the US reached in 2012.
“The lifting of the limits could also provide an excuse for North Korea to continue its nuclear and missile programs,” Song Zhongping, a military expert told the Global Times.
This decision, which allowed South Korea to repeatedly increase its missiles’ lethality and firing range, will create a bad example for nonproliferation, since other countries might use it as an excuse to push their own missile development, leading to an arms race beyond the peninsula, Song continued.
Hundreds of South Koreans took to the streets of Seoul on Tuesday in two separate demonstrations, one to show support for Trump and the other to voice disapproval of the US leader amid concerns over North Korea’s nuclear threats.
“South Koreans always show such divided sentiments, and anti-US groups will likely continue to voice opposition against the government as it implements the agreements reached today,” said Lü. “It will give Moon, who thought he could pull off a balancing act, a hard time.”
After visiting Japan and South Korea, Trump will arrive in Beijing on Wednesday.
Commenting on the upcoming summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump, Hua also said China and the US have common interests in realizing denuclearization and safeguarding peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula. During the Beijing summit, the two sides will communicate on major issues, including the peninsula nuclear issue.
Hua said China will keep close communication and coordination with the US, and make unremitting efforts to peacefully address the Korean Peninsula issues.