South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol begins a visit to the United States on Monday, where he will meet with U.S. President Joe Biden, amid doubts in South Korea about the alliance that has guaranteed its security for decades, Reuters reported.

Yun Suk-yeol’s state visit from Monday to April 29 is the first such visit by a South Korean leader to the US in 12 years and will mark the 70th anniversary of a partnership that has helped anchor US strategy in Asia and laid the foundation for South Korea’s rise. as an economic force.

The South Korean president is scheduled to meet with his American counterpart on Wednesday, and they will also hold a joint press conference. On Thursday, he will address the US Congress, then travel to Boston, where he will deliver a speech at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Yoon Suk Yeol will accompany business leaders to develop partnerships in supply chains and high technology, including chips and batteries. A South Korean delegation will visit NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center to discuss cooperation in space.

But as North Korea moves ahead with nuclear weapons and cruise missiles, there are growing questions in South Korea about the safety of relying on the so-called “extended deterrence,” the U.S. nuclear umbrella, and calls, including from prominent members of Yun’s party, for Seoul to develop its own nuclear weapons.

Should South Korea develop its own nuclear weapons?

According to a recent survey conducted by the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, more than 54% of respondents believe that the US will not risk its security to protect its Asian ally. At the same time, more than 64% were in favor of South Korea creating its own nuclear weapons, and approximately 33% were against it.

President Yoon has pushed for Seoul to have a greater role in the extended US deterrence, but what that will entail is not yet clear.

Yun’s deputy national security adviser said the two sides are working to make enhanced deterrence more concrete and that a joint statement after the summit could mention progress in that regard.

• “What I can tell you now is that interest and expectations for enhanced deterrence have been high, and some things have been accomplished over the last year in terms of information sharing, planning and execution.
• We need to take steps to organize these things so that it is easy for anyone to understand the big picture of how this containment is being implemented and developed,” media adviser Kim Tae-hyo said.

A senior US official said on Friday that during his meeting with Yun, President Biden would promise “substantial” steps to underline the US commitment to deterring a North Korean nuclear attack.

Aid to Ukraine

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which some South Koreans believe is distracting the United States from dangers in Asia, has also led to a series of rare disputes between Seoul and Washington, Reuters reports, Agerpres reports. The recent release of US military documents has revealed the difficulties South Korea faces in responding to pressure from its ally to provide military aid to Ukraine.

South Korea, a major producer of artillery shells, says it has not supplied lethal weapons to Ukraine, citing its relationship with Russia, and has limited its support to humanitarian aid. Seoul tries to avoid confrontation with Russia, mainly given Russian business interests and influence over North Korea.

Reports by some media outlets that the United States had spied on South Korea’s discussions regarding support for Ukraine have raised eyebrows in South Korea, although both sides downplayed the issue.

In an interview with Reuters last week, Yoon Suk-yeol first signaled a softening of his stance on arming Ukraine, saying his government may not “simply insist on humanitarian or financial support” if there is a large-scale attack on civilians in Ukraine or there is “a situation that the international community cannot tolerate.”

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