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In a move to reassure South Korea of U. S. support against North Korean aggression, Defense Secretary James Mattis warned North Korea on Friday of an “effective and overwhelming” response if it chose to use nuclear weapons.
“Any attack on the United States, or our allies, will be defeated, and any use of nuclear weapons would be met with a response that would be effective and overwhelming,” Mattis said at South Korea’s defense ministry, concluding a two-day visit .
The newly-minted Secretary of Defense also confirmed that the United States is expected to take action later in the year, if not before, with a deployment of its missile defense system — known as Terminal High Altitude Area Defense — in South Korea.
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With nearly 30,000 US troops in South Korea, the United States possesses a strong military presence in the area. Mattis said the Trump administration “remains steadfast” in its “iron-clad” defense commitments to the region.
The current South Korean government supports THAAD deployment, but with elections upcoming, there is no guarantee the next administration will share that support.
China and other nations have expressed concerns with THAAD deployment, concerns Mattis addressed by maintaining the U. S. stance that North Korea’s behavior would be the onus for such action.
