Biden And Yoon's Plan To Deter Kim Jong Un Could Trigger New 'Nuclear Crisis,' Chinese Expert Warns

A Chinese expert warned that U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol‘s decision to deploy nuclear weapons in Seoul could trigger another nuclear crisis in the Korean Peninsula.

What Happened: Lü Chao, an expert on Korean Peninsula issues at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that Washington and Seoul should take full responsibility for the consequences of deploying nukes in the Korean Peninsula. 

“If the U.S. really deploys nuclear weapons or a nuclear-armed submarine in the peninsula, it’s very likely to trigger another nuclear crisis.”

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The expert warned that based on North Korea's principle of “might for might, frontal match,” Kim may take some unprecedented action in response to Washington's decision, such as carrying out the anticipated nuclear test.

“The possibility cannot be ruled out, and if this happens, Washington and Seoul should be held accountable for their provocation.”

Another expert warned that this would not only force Kim to enhance its development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles but would also worsen China-U.S. tensions.

“The deployment of U.S. nuclear-armed submarines in the region so close to China’s territory is unacceptable, and if the U.S. receives no opposition or retaliation from China, it will deploy more strategic weapons, including aircraft carriers and strategic bombers.”

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Why It Matters: In a meeting held on Wednesday, Biden and Yoon reached a series of strategic agreements on “extended deterrence” against Kim Jong Un's unprecedented missile tests.

The Biden administration's new nuclear deterrence effort calls for periodically docking U.S. nuclear-armed submarines in South Korea for the first time in decades. 

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning also slammed Washington's decision and said, “The U.S., in order to realize its own geopolitical interests and disregarding regional security, insisted on making use of the peninsula issue to create tension.”

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