The Implications of the US-South Korea 'Washington Declaration' for North Korea

The Washington Declaration, a set of new steps that boost US-South Korean military cooperation and information sharing, includes a stern threat that if North Korea uses its nuclear weapons against the United States or its ally South Korea, it would be “the end” of Kim Jong Un’s regime. The declaration also includes the regular deployment of a US nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine to South Korea and other measures, but some doubt its practical value. South Korea is concerned about the US commitment to “extended deterrence” and the potential return of former US President Donald Trump. It is unlikely that North Korea will change its position.