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US ambassador tries to allay S. Koreans' anxiety about 'extended deterrence' commitment

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U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg speaks at a forum hosted by Korean Women Journalists Association in Seoul, Feb. 1. Yonhap
U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg speaks at a forum hosted by Korean Women Journalists Association in Seoul, Feb. 1. Yonhap

Philip Goldberg, the top American envoy here, publicly asked South Korea on Wednesday to have confidence in Washington over its "extended deterrence" commitment against North Korean threats.

Goldberg made the remarks at a forum hosted by the Korean Women Journalists Association in Seoul, countering doubts among a growing number of people here regarding whether the U.S. is fully willing and ready to defend South Korea in the face of the North's advancing nuclear and missile programs.

Some even argue that the South should pursue its own nuclear development or the redeployment here of American tactical nukes. Others have raised concerns about the negative impact to the health of the alliance in case of Seoul's nuclear pursuit.

The ambassador sought to assure Seoul of Washington's full security commitment.

"I think that it's understandable that there are people who worry about the future and that's what I'm here to say is that they can rely on the U.S.," he said. "We are fully committed to using all of our resources to make sure that the commitment is real and that all of our deterrence is present to deter any threats here and especially from the DPRK."

DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.

Goldberg added that the U.S. is focused on further engaging in dialogue with its allies to "reassure an understandably anxious Korean population."

"On extended deterrence, we're continuing discussing the whole range of our capabilities with the Yoon (Suk Yeol) administration ... That will continue and I think you'll see further evidence of our willingness and our objective of reassuring the South Korean people if they are not convinced of it till now," he said. (Yonhap)




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