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S.Korea, US to beef up defence against North provocation

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:30 GMT

Source: reuters // Reuters

* Allies advance capabilities near disputed sea border

* U.S. says wants to be consulted beforehand

* North's uranium enrichment must stop, inspectors allowed

SEOUL, Oct 28 (Reuters) - The United States and South Korea are working on additional steps to deter future North Korean provocations, including advancing their "readiness capabilities" in disputed west-coast waters, the allies' defence chiefs said on Friday.

Tensions on the Korean peninsula hit the highest point in decades last year when a South Korean navy ship was sunk in a torpedo attack Seoul blamed on Pyongyang. The North denies involvement in the incident that killed 46 sailors.

The North later in the year shelled a South Korean island, killing four people and prompting the South to return fire.

Seoul's response, criticised at home for being too weak and late, triggered a review of its defence operational guideline to allow a tougher retaliation to similar events in future.

"The (Korean) Minister and the (U.S.) Secretary reaffirmed the need to advance the military deterrence capabilities of the Alliance in a more practical and concrete manner and also to improve response readiness in the event of a North Korean provocation," a joint statement by the defence chiefs said.

"Also they have decided to advance their combined readiness capabilities in the Northwest Islands and areas near the Northern Limit Line," it said.

The waters near the disputed sea border are a flashpoint and have been the scene of several deadly clashes between the rival Koreas since 1999, including last year's two attacks.

South Korea's Defence Minister Kim Kwan-jin said Washington had reaffirmed its commitment to provide "an overwhelming surge of forces under extraordinary circumstances".

Kim and U.S. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta repeated warnings that the North posed a serious threat to regional and global peace.

Kim said the next aggression by Pyongyang -- which he predicted could come next year -- would be followed by an initial response by South Korean forces.

"And later on, any joint South Korea-U.S. response, if it becomes time for that, will include all available assets," Kim told a news conference.

CLOSE CONSULTATIONS IMPORTANT

Pentagon spokesman George Little cautioned that U.S. military involvement didn't necessarily mean use of lethal force. Last year, the U.S. and South Korean militaries staged joint exercises in response to the North's attacks.

Little added the possibility of U.S. involvement of some kind was also nothing new, given the full "spectrum" of possible responses available.

Still, Kim's forceful comments underscored pressure on Seoul to respond more forcefully to the North should its current diplomatic overtures give way to renewed aggression.

Panetta acknowledged the right of South Korea to respond to provocations but, at the news conference, said Washington hoped to be consulted.

"Look, when these provocations take place, Korea is a sovereign country, they have a right to respond and to defend themselves," Panetta said.

"But because we have the United States-Republic of Korea alliance, we believe that it would be to the benefit of both sides to have close consultation when those events take place."

Panetta, on his first trip to South Korea since taking over the Pentagon in July, said on Thursday he was sceptical about the fate of the latest diplomatic push with Pyongyang.

The United States ended two days of meetings with North Korea on Tuesday.

Panetta, a former CIA director, outlined steps he thought the North needed to take.

"It's no secret that denuclearization means that they have to stop testing, they have to stop developing weapons. They have stop enriching in violation of international rules," he said, adding Pyongyang must also allow international nuclear inspectors to return. (Additional reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Jeremy Laurence)