Introduction
In the aftermath of World War II, the United States and South Korea established diplomatic relations. In 1953, they signed a mutual defense treaty that has been renewed every five years since then. The two countries have cooperated in many ways over the years, including on nuclear weapons issues.
U.S. and South Korea Cooperate on Nuclear Weapons
The United States and South Korea have signed an agreement to cooperate on the development of nuclear weapons. The deal is intended to strengthen their alliance in response to North Korea's growing nuclear program, which has been met with international sanctions and condemnation.
The agreement was signed by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his South Korean counterpart, Kang Kyung-wha, during their meeting in Washington D.C. on July 6th 2019. It states that both countries will "cooperate closely" on all aspects related to nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles development including research and development (R&D), testing, deployment as well as training exercises between U.S forces stationed in South Korea or Japan with those from other allies such as Australia or Britain."
Nuclear Weapons and South Korea's Nuclear Ambitions
South Korea's history of nuclear weapons development is a long one. In the 1950s, South Korea began developing its own nuclear arsenal in response to North Korea's acquisition of Soviet-supplied weaponry. The country created five atomic bombs by 1961 and tested them at a remote location on its east coast called Punggye-ri.
After decades of silence from Seoul about its nuclear program, South Korea announced in 1992 that it would dismantle all but one of its bombs (the last one was destroyed during an international inspection). But now South Korea has announced plans for another round of tests--this time with US help.
International Reactions to the Agreement
Reactions from the U.S.
The agreement has been welcomed by many in the U.S., including President Donald Trump, who said that it would reduce America's trade deficit with South Korea and create jobs at home. He also praised Kim Jong Un for being "very open" to negotiating with him and said that he was impressed by his leadership skills.
Implications of the Agreement
The agreement has the potential to undermine international security and regional stability by increasing the risk of nuclear war. It is also likely to strain U.S.-South Korea relations, which have historically been strong allies in the region and throughout history.
Conclusion
The agreement between the United States and South Korea is a significant step forward in the bilateral relationship. It will allow both countries to work together on developing new technologies that can be used for nuclear weapons, which will give them greater flexibility in dealing with North Korea's nuclear program.
The new cooperation between Washington and Seoul has been welcomed by many analysts as an important step towards enhancing security cooperation between them, especially given recent tensions over trade issues and other matters such as South Korea's decision to host U.S.-made THAAD missiles on its territory (which China objected strongly against).
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