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| Image: Flickr User - Ash Carter |
By Benjamin David Baker
The U.S. Secretary of Defense’s ongoing tour in the Pacific demonstrates that the “Pivot to Asia” is still important.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter is on a Pacific tour. Last week, Carter visited Alaska, where he emphasized the state’s importance to the United States’ Asia and Arctic policies. Three days ago, Carter flew to South Korea for talks with his local counterpart, Han Min-Koo. Yesterday, he continued to Malaysia to participate in the ASEAN Defense Ministers-plus (ADMM+) meeting.
The topics discussed between Carter and Han were unsurprisingly focused on North Korea, and included Pyongyang’s nuclear, conventional, and cyber capabilities. Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to a denuclearized peninsula, adding that the policy of “zero tolerance” towards future nuclear tests or long-range missile launches is still very much in effect. They specifically voiced “grave concern” over strong hints from North Korea that it is preparing a long-range rocket launch in violation of U.S. resolutions.
Carter met Han in Seoul during an annual security meeting for the two allies to assess their military cooperation. Carter told reporters they “spoke candidly” about nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, cyber- and conventional military threats from North Korea, which they described as a risk to peace and security beyond the Korean Peninsula. According to both Carter and Han, U.S.-South Korean relations are at an “’all-time high’… and remain ironclad.”
Tensions between Pyongyang and Seoul have been high since this August. Following the maiming of two South Korean servicemen by a North Korean landmine, South Korea activated several large propaganda loudspeakers aimed at North Korean soldiers and civilians across the DMZ. A short artillery exchange took place as a result, in which no one was injured or killed. However, this occurred during a planned U.S.-South Korea military exercise and has since kept relations between Seoul and Pyongyang frozen.
Read the full story at The Diplomat